Qatar 2022: alert of cyber-scam by WhatsApp where they assure that FIFA is giving away 50 GB of data to watch the World Cup

A new cyber-scam is hanging around WhatsApp. The cybercriminals They pose as FIFA and claim that the soccer entity is giving away 50 GB of mobile data so that users can watch the Qatar 2022 World Cup. However, they only steal your personal data.

“The objective is harvest people’s phone number and convince them to enable notifications to deploy malvertising on the device. The deception even seeks for the person to contact a supposed representative of a telephone company by telephone through an unknown number.”, reports ESET.

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According to the company’s report, a contact who has fallen for the cyber-scam will send the message. “Free 50GB data plan for all networks. FIFA offers people around the world 50GB of free data to watch the World Cup Qatar 2022“, it reads.

Accompanying the text, there will be a malicious link. “The message includes a link that redirects to a disreputable page. If the person clicks on the button that says ‘click here’, the site will ask the potential victim to enter their phone number. In case of entering it, this information will go to the hands of scammers”, adds the cybersecurity company.

The page to which the victim of the cyber-scam is redirected for 50 GB of data that FIFA “gives away”. | (Photo: ESET)

In this way, the user will be required to forward the message they received so that others “have a chance” to participate. However, this is only a way for other people to fall for the scam, since an acquaintance is the one who is inviting them. Specifically, they ask that the message be passed on to 12 contacts.

Also, despite the fact that it has supposedly completed all the steps, the user is invited to participate in additional steps to obtain extra prizes. What the victim is told is that this is a way to verify that they are who they say they are, for which they are promised prizes such as an iPhone or iPad. These would be earned through a type of loyalty that allows you to play roulette.

The roulette wheel to “win devices” in the 50 GB scam that FIFA gives away to watch the Qatar 2022 World Cup. | (Photo: ESET)

“Immediately afterwards, and as expected, the hoax makes believe that the person won a 256GB iPhone 12 Pro. Yet none of this is real”, adds the company. In this way, the “winners” are redirected to a page to find out how to claim the prize. Cybercriminals use the logos of well-known telephone providers so that victims choose theirs and end up calling unknown numbers. Probably one of the criminals responds to continue the scam and obtain more personal data, or worse, some meeting to “deliver the prize.”

“If you received this message, we recommend deleting it. Never open links that come through unexpected or suspicious messages. Much less if they offer gifts or benefits that are too good to be true. If the message reached your phone because it was sent by a known contact, let them know. In this way you will learn to recognize these frauds and you will even be able to alert other of your contacts. Lastly, remember never to share personal information on suspicious sites or to which we arrive unexpectedly¨, comments Camilo Gutiérrez Amaya, head of the ESET Latin America research laboratory.

Source: Elcomercio