In a new form of scam, known as the “Gift Scam,” scammers are taking advantage of special occasions, such as birthdays, to trick people into offering to redeem gifts for a fee. However, by making the payment, victims run the risk of having their bank details stolen and undergoing financial losses.
In this new scam, the scammers, having personal information of the victim, such as full name, birthday, and address, contact, via messaging application, with the victim claiming to represent some known commercial establishment (flower shop, electronics store, fine chocolate store, etc.). Also over this contact, scammers claim that they have a gift purchased by a third person to be delivered to the victim, however, for the delivery of the gift they should pay a “symbolic” fee, at the time of delivery of the gift.
Scammers take advantage of the fact that it is the victim’s birthday to increase the chance of them falling for the scam and making the payment. In addition, usually, the fake profile created by the scammers present a description of the store, profile photo of a legitimate company, descriptive text of services, company for delivery, options of products for sale, in short, they make up the whole scenario to deceive their potential victims.
After arranging the delivery of the alleged gift, scammers inform that they will send a motorcycle delivery driver to the victim’s residence, who will take the gift with him, as well as a card machine for the payment of that previously agreed fee.
At the victim’s residence, before delivering the gift, the motorcycle courier starts the transaction, via card, to pay the fee, however, it uses a machine with a damaged or altered display so that the victim does not realize the real sum of the transaction, which, in most cases, is much higher than that “agreed” previously.
Another unfolding of the scam consists of an “unexpected failure” in the machine at the time of the transaction, which, supposedly, is not finalized. Totally deceptive. By the time the victim realizes what happened, it’s already too late.
There are reports of victims who suffered financial losses that exceed the tens of thousands of Brazilian reais. In addition to financial loss, this type of scam can expose victims’ bank details and involve offenses ranging from false pretenses to misrepresentation.
To protect yourself, avoid providing personal data to unknown sources or untrustworthy links. It is also important to be careful when exposing personal information on social media, as criminals can easily access it through simple searches.
What is more, one should be suspicious of unexpected surprises. Before providing any information or making payments, check the company’s information in official profiles and confirm the legitimacy of the delivery.
An important point to note is that delivery fees are usually charged to the sender, not the recipient. If you are asked to pay a fee, give preference to safe methods such as cash or Pix. Never enter your password on machines with a damaged display and prevent the delivery person from viewing your password when entering it.
Another valuable tip is not to allow photos to be taken during delivery. This practice can expose sensitive information, such as home addresses, to criminals who use these photos to commit fraud.
With the increasing sophistication of scams, it is essential to remain watchful and adopt security measures to protect yourself against possible financial losses and theft of personal data.
Available at: https://portalcbncampinas.com.br/2023/06/golpe-do-presente-foca-aniversariantes-para-roubar-dados-bancarios/
Autor: Daniel Feitosa Naruto • email: daniel.naruto@ernestoborges.com.br • Tel.: +55 67 3389 0123
