Cyberattacks are the order of the day, and the personal and banking information of individuals and companies are the main objective of criminals. Before this panorama, The Internet User Security Office (OSI) has detected a new “phishing” campaign that impersonates the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) to deceive the victims. Below we explain step by step how the scam works so that you do not fall into the trap.
The new scam that supplants the DGT
Imagine that you receive an email, supposedly from the DGT, informing you of an unpaid traffic ticket. In the e-mail there is attached a form that you must fill out and send to an address to proceed with the payment. What happens if you click on it to download it? Actually, it is a trojan-like malware that will infect your computer and allow cybercriminals to access it.
Before, “phishing” campaigns were easy to identify since the messages contained spelling and/or wording mistakes. But hackers use increasingly sophisticated techniques to trick their victims. In this case, there is not a single lack of this type in the message. However, the address “[email protected]” is suspicious.
What should you do if you have accidentally downloaded the file? If you haven’t run it yet, there’s no problem, although you’ll need to delete it and mark the mail as SPAM. Also, to make sure there is no trace of malware on your computer, OSI recommends running a scan with an up-to-date antivirus.
And if you have already executed it? The first thing is isolate the computer from the network to which it is connected to prevent the infection from spreading to other devices. Therefore, disconnect your computer from your home WIFI network, otherwise all the devices connected to it could be compromised.
Then, performs a complete scan with the antivirus and proceeds with the disinfection. You can do a factory default format for a total removal, although you must make a backup before.
For have evidence of fraud and be able to file a complaint, take screenshots and save the email you received. In addition, it is recommended that you contact the DGT to inform them that they are impersonating their identity for a “phishing” campaign.
Finally, it should be noted the importance of being very careful with this type of emails. Never click on any links or download any files from a suspicious email.
