The National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC) warns that a new attempt of telephone fraud affects the Romanian entrepreneurs, using the institution’s identity to collect personal and banking data.
The new telephone scam concerns the entrepreneurs in Romania Photo: Archive
DNSC has transmitted a public alert on a new method of fraud. The scammers contact their victims using a phone number that seems to belong to the institution, but is forged by spoofing techniques.
“The victim is contacted (…) under the alarming legal pretext that she is involved in a case of money laundering, for a payment from June 2023, to a fictitious company”, Explains DNSC.
The appellant claims that the institution would have blocked the victim’s accounts. “A totally false statement ”emphasizes DNSC representatives.
The second call comes from a false “bank representative”
If the called person mentions the name of a bank, immediately a second call follows. This time, the scammers present themselves as employees of the respective bank. “The goal is to collect sensitive bank and personal data”, Warns DNSC.
Attacrators choose their victims from databases available online, such as companies or NGO sites, using scraping techniques to extract useful information.
The institution draws attention to that:
“DNSC does not investigate financial cases and does not put ups on accounts”, and “Official institutions do not request bank data by telephone. ”
DNSC expert recommendations
Cyber security specialists recommend citizens to never disclose personal or banking information if they receive a suspicious phone call. In such situations, it is important that the appeal be interrupted immediately, and the data subject will verify the authenticity of the conversation directly contacting, through an official channel, the institution or the bank concerned.
“If you have received such a call, do not continue the conversation, do not provide personal data and report the incident immediately to DNSC”, The representatives of the institution also transmit on their official Facebook page.
They encourage the spread of this message in business communities, social networks or relevant groups to prevent fraud.
