Cybercrime Southeast Europe Newsletter No. 11
Cybercrime Southeast Europe
Dear clients,
During the past week, we have been actively involved in uncovering cases, for which we have filed criminal complaints with the competent prosecutor’s office at VTK Belgrade. Among these cases are counterfeit brokers from Unionmarkets and similar entities, investments in solar panels and wind farms by NSSPV, as well as fraud through the fake Gasprom website. Additionally, we have initiated complaints for cases such as the Call Center scams and other relevant matters that have not been mentioned previously.
What other scams affect the Western Balkans?
In recent times, there has been an increase in cyber scams posing a serious challenge to internet users. Just one moment of carelessness and a click on the wrong internet address are enough to make you a victim. Scammers constantly devise new ways to exploit people’s naivety and trust, and often their tactics are so subtle that even experienced users can fall prey.
One of the common tricks is fake giveaways on social media, known as “giveaways” or contests, where enticing prizes are promised for participation. Scammers use this as an opportunity to solicit personal information or even money under the pretext of needing to confirm participation or provide additional information.
Pyramid schemes via sponsored ads are also becoming more prevalent. Ads promising quick and easy earnings with minimal effort are often just bait to lure people into sharing their information or making payments, in return for receiving nothing or something that is not worth the investment.
Recently, citizens of Serbia were targeted with messages coming from various numbers, informing them of “undelivered packages” due to allegedly incorrect addresses. Along with the messages were phishing links that, if clicked, could lead to the theft of personal data or even compromise bank accounts.
It’s important to be cautious and carefully verify the content of the messages you receive, avoiding clicking on suspicious links, and never sharing personal or banking information online. Awareness and caution are crucial in the fight against cyber scams, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated and harder to detect.
Zoran Miljaković
Attorney at Law