Facebook scam offering transportation discounts locally
A widespread phishing scam has been identified on Facebook, targeting users with false offers of significant public transport discounts or even months of free travel. The scam, which has affected over 700 cities and regions across 60 countries worldwide, is a form of cybercrime aimed at stealing sensitive financial information, including credit card details, from unsuspecting Facebook users.
According to the Spanish fact-checking organization Maldita.es, over 1,000 fake public transportation pages have been identified on the platform. These pages, which often have few followers, have managed to spread their phishing posts extensively thanks to more than 9,000 paid ads on Facebook and Instagram.
Despite Meta removing at least one ad from 55% of these pages for violating rules, all of the pages remained publicly accessible at the time the data was collected. The majority of the promoted domains involved in this scam are hosted on just two IP addresses from the same provider in Russia.
The criminals behind these pages are believed to be located primarily in Vietnam. The Russian provider hosting the phishing websites for the fraudulent Facebook pages has not been identified.
To protect personal information, users are advised to avoid clicking on any links provided in these posts. If a user falls for the phishing scam and provides their credit card details, they should file a report with their local police or the online police station responsible for their area.
This scam serves as a reminder for Facebook users to be vigilant and cautious when interacting with suspicious posts or offers on the platform. If you suspect a post or page to be a phishing scam, it is recommended to report it to Facebook immediately.
[1] Data sourced from Maldita.es report on the phishing scam on Facebook.
The widespread cybercrime on Facebook, disguised as offers of free public transport, has extended its reach to more areas, including food-related posts and general news, potentially ensnaring users across various interests. With the criminals behind this scam primarily located in Vietnam, general awareness about cybersecurity in the realm of technology and crime-and-justice is paramount to protect sensitive information.
