A fake promotion has been circulating on WhatsApp since last Monday (19) that uses the name of the airline LatAm to advertise discounted tickets on Black Friday 2018.
Tickets are offered at a very low cost, such as the Guarulhos x Miami stretch for only R $ 19.
When clicking on the link, users are directed to a fake website and taken to fill in the fields with their personal data.
The scam was discovered by Kaspersky Lab, but so far there is no information on the number of victims.
READ: Which stores to avoid on Black Friday? See list of Procon-SP
Shared message on WhatsApp has fake discounts in the LatAm area – Photo: Reproduction / WhatsApp
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This scam uses the same method as other threats that occur within WhatsApp.
Criminals take into account access (Wi-Fi or 3G), user location, language and operating system (Android or iOS).
To carry out the coup, cybercriminals launched on Sunday (18th) the domain “voedelatam.com/blackfriday”, a fake website for users to search for LatAm airline tickets with the false promise of winning travel discounts and even a second free ticket .
The page shows the option to choose the city of origin and destination, in addition to the departure date and the class of the flight (economic, for example).
Then, the website shows the flight data, such as company, departure and number of stopovers.
Scammers cheat users with discounts on LatAm airfare on a fake website – Photo: Disclosure
When the user clicks the “Book” button, a message appears stating that it is necessary to share the promotion with 20 contacts on WhatsApp to complete the reservation.
That way, cybercriminals can reach more people.
Also on that same page, there is also a blank field for the user to enter his email with the excuse that the company will send the reservation within 1 hour.
As a result, scammers can use this data to send viruses or even sell the list to phishers and spammers.
Share the fake promotion on WhatsApp to book the flight – Photo: Disclosure
Scams by WhatsApp can direct the user to a website with a lot of advertising in order for the criminal to make money from viewing the ads.
Another threat is the person downloading a legitimate app for the scammer to profit from each installation.
It may also be the case that you install a malicious application that collects the victim’s personal data.
In addition, the user may fall into the scam of informing the cell phone number to make charges later on premium services.
Black Friday Brasil 2018 takes place on November 23, with tempting promotions that can reach up to 80% discount, including air tickets for a much cheaper price.
But it is necessary to be aware of the virtual scams, which tend to be more frequent during this period.
There are some ways to prevent it.
For Kaspersky Lab, a company that produces security software, the user needs to be aware of unknown links in order not to download malware, for example.
Another tip is to be suspicious of offers on Facebook and search for the product advertised on the retailer’s own website.
In addition, consult the PROCON list and Registro.br in case of discounts on unknown sites.
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