Fraudsters disguised as an energy sales company steal accounts in instant messengers through fake groups and chat bots

Fraudsters create a closed group in the messenger on behalf of the energy sales company and report the recalculation of utility bills.

The attackers ask you to confirm your data and then go to a chatbot, which asks for a six-digit code to authorize your messenger account.

Law enforcement officials advise hiding your phone number and nickname, blocking access to profile photos and videos, prohibiting the forwarding of messages, and disabling the ability to add to unknown chats to protect against such attacks.

MOSCOW, September 10 - RIA Novosti. Fraudsters, under the guise of an energy sales company, create a closed group in the messenger and report an alleged recalculation of utility bills, after which they ask to “confirm” the data and steal the victim’s account, reported the department for organizing the fight against illegal use of information and communication technologies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Next, the scammers publish a message about the completion of the verification procedure with a request to go to the chatbot, which asks the victim for a six-digit code for authorization in the messenger account.

“Such an attack is aimed at a specific user, and among the group members are bots that imitate the actions of real people in order to create the illusion of a live dialogue,” the message notes.