– Since June, we have received several reports, says police officer Gabriella Gailiute Hovland. Recently, the East police district’s online patrol has caught the eye of a new fraud method. The patrol has therefore posted a warning on its Facebook pages. – Hopefully this can make people a little more skeptical about sending money to “friends” who ask about this via Snapchat. A “friend” asks to borrow money It starts with being contacted by a friend on Snapchat who needs to borrow money. – We are talking about relatively small amounts and you know the person in question, so you are happy to help, the police write. The person promises to pay you back quickly… But it is not someone you know who is asking for financial help. There are fraudsters who have hacked the person’s account. The best way to avoid scams is to always verify who you’re talking to on Snapchat if someone asks you for money, according to police. Photo: Richard Drew / AP A different phone number After you agree to lend money, the friend asks you to switch to a different phone number than the person usually uses. – We have seen that the fraudster comes up with an excuse for why the person in question has to switch to a different number than the one that actually belongs to the friend, says Hovland. – But then don’t you want to see that you are cheating on someone other than the friend who asked for money? – What can happen is that the fraudster’s name appears, but the fraudster may also have used intermediaries, so-called mules, who tip the money on to the right place or withdraw cash, says Hovland. Be skeptical The Police’s Nettpatrulje is now urging everyone to activate two-step verification on their account and spread the message further. – This is also a good measure to introduce on all your social media accounts, says Hovland. And be skeptical about questions about money. The police do not have an answer to how large amounts have been defrauded. – But the whole scheme of this fraud method is that relatively small amounts are involved, so that it seems likely that the request comes from a friend. Have you experienced being scammed? Yes, via social media📱 Yes, via phone or SMS📞 Yes, in another digital way💻 No, luckily not! Show result Don’t let them play on your feelings Thorbjørn Busch, security expert at Telenor, has several good tips on how to avoid being hacked and scammed. – If someone asks for an account number, tip or other personal information, call the person and check that it is he or she who is behind it. That someone tries to play on emotions such as trust, fear, temptation and conscience is a red flag. Busch says criminals are willing to go to greater lengths to defraud as we get better at avoiding them. When you make it more difficult for them, they have to find new ways. Photo: Jan Tore Eriksen Another warning light is if someone puts you under time pressure. This can cause you to act quickly without thinking carefully. – Take a step back and try to read twice. Ask yourself what does the sender want from you? Busch reminds that one should be careful about leaving personal information online, be careful not to click on unknown links and be careful. Then there is less chance of being hacked. – When you protect your own accounts, you reduce the risk that hackers can use your account to attack your friends, family or colleagues, says Busch. Hello! Do you want to read more about fraud? In the past I have written about Feel free to get in touch if you have thoughts, tips, a story you want to share or a question!😊 Published 23/07/2024, at 18.33
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The police warn against a new fraud method on Snapchat – Greater Oslo
