Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, there have been more and more cases of remote fraud. Although lockdowns have long been lifted, the number of attacks by criminals is not decreasing. Many schemes of such crimes have become widely known, and now it is easier for people to protect themselves from them. In response, criminals have invented a new type of fraud - mirror loans.
What is a mirror loan
The term has come to refer to two schemes that are noticeably different but can complement each other. The first is aimed at stealing a client's personal data through fake organizations. The second is used to steal the victim's money through telephone fraud.
We will look at both schemes and ways to protect against them. First, let's talk about fake organizations.
How do mirror credit organizations work?
This method is based on disguise as a real bank or list of mobile number database microfinance organization. Three directions are used for implementation:
a fake link in an advertisement that imitates advertisements from real banks;
sending SMS, emails and calls on behalf of real banks;
virtual offices with fake legal addresses.
All three aspects can be used simultaneously. Most often, such criminals create a website that copies the design and text from the pages of real organizations. With its help, fraudsters gain the victim's trust.
As a rule, such sites offer very favorable credit conditions. They attract a potential client, and he independently enters personal data. It is the collection of such data that is the purpose of fraud.
In some cases, this scheme is used by criminals to directly extort money from the victim. For example, they often offer very favorable loans on the condition that a down payment is made. The victim transfers the money without receiving anything in return.
How to protect yourself from fraud
A fake website can always be identified by its address. It can be completely different from the original. Sometimes the difference is only a few characters, which is not noticeable. Before entering any data, you need to compare the website address with the official one. This information is easy to find on the Internet. The first website that appears when searching for the name of a popular bank is the right website. But pay attention to the search results, not to the block with advertising.