THE’INPS (National Social Security Institute) recently reported a New attempt to scam which exploits the pretext of a alleged bonus of 715 euros To deceive users and subtract them sensitive data. It is in the case of a phishing attempt, a fraudulent technique that consists in sending apparently official communications to induce victims to reveal personal information. In this case, the scammers send e-mail apparently from INPS, inducing the recipients to click on a link that redirects them to a counterfeit web page. Here, personal data, banking information and details of the credit cards with the false promise of an accreditation are requested. The message contains: “We are not able to make the transfer because the data in the system are not updated”followed by the invitation to enter the information via the link provided. Don’t click on any link and, of course, of do not provide personal information.
How the INPS scam of the fake 715 euro bonus works
This convincing and very dangerous scam is based on a consolidated method in the world of cybercrime: the phishing. This term derives from the English “fishing” (ie “fish”) and indicates the technique with which the scammers “fish” their victims by inducing them with the deception to reveal personal data. In the case reported by INPS, the communication that acts from “Computer bait” arrives in the form of e-mailwith a content that seems official and that invites you to click on a link to request an alleged bonus. Once the indicated web page is opened, Users are pushed to enter sensitive informationsuch as name, surname, telephone number, bank data and credit card numbers. This allows the attackers to steal identity and money, often without the victim noticing it immediately.
The text of the scratch message is as follows:
Dear Customer,
With this communication, we inform you that our INPS automatic system has indicated that she meets all the requirements and conditions to recover FIPPORT of 715.00 euros on taxes and/or contributions paid in the year 2022
However, we tried to pay the amount indicated by bank transfer but the operation was not successful because its bank details that are in our possession are incorrect or incomplete.
To complete the payment process we invite you to visit our site to update your bank details.
Continue on the dedicated page
Staying waiting for your kind response,
We offer our sincere greetings!
Passing the message in question under the “magnifying glass”, it is possible to see various characteristic elements of the IT attacks based on the phishing technique. One of the first things that jumps to the eye is that cyber criminals try to replicate the language and graphics of official institutionsusing formal logos, colors and tones to deceive users. The most aware users, however, can easily identify some details that are clearly attributable to scam communications, such as e-mail addresses that do not correspond to the official ones of the institution, grammatical or translation errors And unusual requests to provide personal data. Inps, like other institutions, never requires sensitive information by e-mail or messages, and this should be enough to trigger the alarm.
How to defend yourself from the INPS scam of the fake 715 euro bonus
For defend themselves from these attacksit is important to follow some good computer security practices. First of all, You must never click on links contained in suspicious e-mails and, consequently, You don’t have to enter personal data on sites that are not sure of reliability. If you receive a communication that seems to come from INPS or from another institution, it is advisable to check directly on the official website or contact customer service to ascertain the truthfulness of the message.
In case you suspect that you have been victims of a phishing scam, try running for cover before it’s too late. If you have provided bank data, Contact your bank immediately to block any suspicious transactions. Above all, report the incident to the authoritieslike the postal police.
