A fake message circulating on WhatsApp cites Adidasâ birthday and promises 3,000 pairs of sneakers and 2,000 free branded shirts. The text quotes the adidas-br website, in which the user is prompted to answer a questionnaire about shoe preferences and pass on the rumor to contacts in the messenger. The dfndr lab, a laboratory specializing in digital security at PSafe, detected four scams that use the companyâs name and promise free products. To date, the attacks amount to more than 158 thousand hits and shares.
In response to dnetc, Adidas denied the existence of the promotion and confirmed the suspected fraud. «Adidas does not recognize publications made in its name and is taking appropriate legal action. In addition, it informs consumers that any and all Adidas promotions or content will be disseminated through the brandâs official channels.»
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Adidas birthday? WhatsApp scam promises free brand sneakers â Photo: Rubens Achilles / dnetc
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According to Camilo Gutierrez, head of the ESET Research Laboratory, this is a phishing scam, in which cybercriminals try to deceive people with false promotions that are attractive to the recipient. Regarding the purpose of the fraud, PSafe explains that the intention is to raise money after inducing the victim to sign up for a paid SMS service.
According to Google Trends, the site responsible for monitoring Internet searches, the term «adidas-br» has seen a sudden increase in demand since last Sunday (3). Other popular searches include «adidas birthday», «adidas free sneakers» and «adidas is distributing free shoes».
Adidas fake message promises 3,000 shoes and 2,000 free shirts â Photo: Reproduction / dnetc
The subject was also widely commented on Twitter. Some users reported having received the fake message several times throughout this Monday (4). Check out, at the end of the article, some tweets related to the rumor.
The ESET expert also gave some tips on how not to fall for phishing scams. According to him, it is important to be suspicious of promotions that arrive through unofficial means, since the offers are usually disclosed on the website or on the social networks of companies. In addition, it is recommended to avoid clicking on suspicious links, even if they have been sent by an acquaintance, and not to share unverified information.
Finally, it is worth keeping equipment with the operating system up to date and having antivirus software installed on devices that access the Internet. THE dnetc has a list of the best options for Android in 2019.
How to remove viruses on an Android phone
my wpp today boiled down to: «good afternoon, only today is adidas âŠÂ»
â November 4, 2019
