Beware of “spoofing”: a new fraudulent practice that challenges banking security

The sophistication of digital security threats has reached advanced levels, making it possible today to imitate a person's voice to make fraudulent calls, use facial recognition technology to manipulate biometric systems, and send text messages or emails from fake addresses in order to trick recipients into obtaining confidential information. , such as passwords and personal data.

the Banking frauds are becoming increasingly frequent and sophisticated. While theft of physical branches remains a concern, digital fraud has evolved into tactics such as data forgery and identity theft.

What is plagiarism?

According to Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA (BBVA), spoofing is a technique used to impersonate individuals in order to commit online crimes, make fraudulent purchases or transfers, and spread viruses among the victim's contacts. To carry out this type of action, cybercriminals impersonate trusted entities, such as banks, stores or companies, through fake phone calls, emails or websites, with the aim of obtaining sensitive information from their victims. This practice allows criminals to operate under stolen identities, reducing their chances of being identified or arrested by authorities.

Types of fraud

According to the same source. Four different types of plagiarism have been identifiedClassified according to the means used to obtain information:

One of the most common ways is via emailWhere criminals send infected messages from fake addresses. These emails can convince the victim to download malicious files, visit fraudulent websites, or reveal sensitive data. For example, through an email supposedly sent from a social network requesting to update the password in order to capture and access personal accounts.

Another way is through fraudulent sites, which mimic legitimate pages but with slightly modified titles. These sites trick users into entering sensitive information, thus infecting their devices.

IP address tampering is another technique used in spoofing, where criminals change the victim's IP address to another one to send malware packages to their devices, putting their security and privacy at risk.

Spoofing can also include DNS (Domain Name System) spoofing.redirecting users' queries to malicious websites instead of the legitimate sites they were trying to visit.

In addition to digital methods, spoofing can occur through phone calls and text messages. In these situations, fraudsters may impersonate trusted entities, such as banks or companies, in order to trick victims into revealing confidential information or making money transfers.

How can I prevent plagiarism?

If you are the target of a spoofing attack, the Bank advises you to call the National Guard at 088 to receive assistance, and to contact CONDUSEF if you discover that information is being misused to make unauthorized purchases or transfers. Likewise, he stated that if you suspect that you have been a victim of digital account fraud, it is essential to block the credit card immediately and report any unknown transactions to the bank.

In addition, he made the following recommendations:

Use two-step authentication.

Do not open emails or answer calls from unknown people.

If you receive requests for personal information via email, it is recommended that you verify the validity of the request by contacting the company or organization directly before providing any data.

Before entering the link, make sure it starts with “https”.

Avoid downloading files or opening links sent by unknown people.

Use different passwords and change them every three months.

Get an antivirus program and download the latest system updates.

Analyze messages to identify suspicious signs such as misspellings or threats such as “If you don't do this in 5 minutes, we will cancel your account.”