Don't Download Random Apps! Take Care Of Your Money And Personal Data This Way

Illustration of mobile banking (Photo: Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Recently, Kaspersky researchers issued a report on the existence of Fakecalls banking Trojan in January 2022. The banking trojan dubbed 'Fakecalls' disguises itself as a banking app and mimics customer support calls from South Korea's most popular banks.

Under the guise of being bank employees, cybercriminals try to persuade their victims to provide payment data or other confidential information.

Fakecalls has combined two malicious technologies namely, banking Trojans and social engineering, so victims are more likely to lose money and personal data. When downloading a new mobile banking app, consider the permissions requested.

“If they are trying to gain suspiciously excessive access to device controls, including call handling access, then it is most likely a banking Trojan,” comments Igor Golovin, security researcher at Kaspersky.

To prevent your money or personal data from falling into the hands of fraudsters, Kaspersky recommends doing the following:

1. Only download the app from the official store. Do not allow installation from unknown sources. The official store runs a check on all programs and if malware manages to sneak in, it's usually removed immediately.
2. Pay attention to the permissions apps ask for and whether they really need them. Don't be afraid to deny permission, especially potentially dangerous ones like access to calls, text messages, accessibility, and so on.
3. Never give out confidential information over the phone. Real bank employees will never ask for your online banking login credentials, PIN, card security code, or confirmation code from a text message. When in doubt, visit the bank's official website and find out what employees can and cannot ask.
4. Install a trusted security solution to protect all your devices from banking Trojans and other malware.