The promise of free diamonds in Free Fire Battlegrounds is being used in posts on WhatsApp to trick users into subscribing to YouTube channels. These items are a popular feature popular with the popular game, which is available for Android and iPhone (iOS) phones. To get benefits in the game, the user must buy diamonds with real money, so criminals are using the gratuity as bait in the messenger.
The scam was detected by dfndr.lab, PSafe's cybersecurity lab, which found in the last 30 days eight pages spreading the scam. The attacks have already totaled over 300,000 hits and shares in Brazil.
Cloned number hit uses WhatsApp and hits more than 5,000 victims
False promise of in-game items Free Fire is intended to capture subscribers to YouTube channels Photo: Playback / PSafe
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When the person clicks on the link that offers the alleged free items, they are taken to a website that asks to share the misleading opportunity with at least five contacts on WhatsApp. You then need to subscribe to a YouTube channel list. However, after doing all of this, instead of earning their reward in Free Fire, the user is referred to other pages with scams, false advertising or spreading applications from unknown sources that may still install malware and compromise the security of device data.
WhatsApp scam promises free diamonds in Free Fire Photo: Luciana Maline / dnetc
Scams propagated by WhatsApp have been common. Recently, for example, cybercriminals have spread around the app a malicious website where the user is supposed to consult if he is entitled to withdraw his salary PIS. There was also a fake page impersonating cosmetic brands to steal personal data. In another case of misappropriation, the promise was for job openings at Cocoa Show and Havan and Samu.
To avoid such scams on the Internet, beware of very advantageous promises and too low prices, as there is a good chance it will not be true. It's important to know how to protect yourself from phishing, that is, fake messages used to attract victims, be it through email, social networks or messaging apps. You can also check the legitimacy of a page by using services like dfndr lab's website, which identifies malicious links.
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