It would be safe to say that the internet has taken a central part in our lives. Our work is dependent on it, we rely on it to talk to people we love, and ironically when we get too tired of it, we turn to it for leisure time. So, when a medium becomes this vital to people, it also becomes a lucrative target for criminals.
Cybercrimes have become increasingly common and frequent these days. During COVID-19, a report by Interpol revealed the alarming rate at which these crimes were taking place. To make matters worse, the culprits were targetting government agencies, politicians, and critical infrastructure.
Now imagine if people and organizations with heavy funding and the best technology can become victims to cybercrimes, then how vulnerable would individuals be.
Most individuals in India, after all, lack knowledge, and can easily fall prey to these crimes. And who says that it doesn’t happen at all to educated people?
You can build as many firewalls and take as many precautions as it pleases, but you can still be a target. These days, there is a phishing attack that is targetting Instagram users. If you are not cautious, you may find your face superimposed on a sex video.
Instagram Phishing Attack Uses Your Face In Sex Videos
It starts off with them sending you a follow request. Who doesn’t like to gain Instagram followers? So, you accept the request. Then, they send you a DM. Isn’t it nice to have someone text you? So, you respond.
Then, they video call. You may hesitate here and could possibly reject it. But, they will do it again and again until you answer. On the other end, you see a naked woman performing obscene acts.
You don’t understand what’s happening and by the time, you come to the realization that you have been pranked or worse, cyberattacked, it is too late.
Read More: Work From Home’s Cybersecurity Scares One Should Be Careful Of
They already have pictures of your face, and they use them on a sex video that makes it look like you are committing the act. They threaten you to send money or else they will share the video with everyone.
This is what happened with 33-year-old Rohan Bhasin, assistant VP of a social media firm based in Delhi. When forced to make a difficult choice, he didn’t give in to their demands and as a result, the fake video was shared with his friends and relatives.
He registered a complaint with the Delhi Police. Police believe that this gang operates at the tri-junction of Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan. Given the increased frequency of these phishing attacks, it is being called the “New Jamtara” or “Jamtara 2.0”. Jamtara is a place in Jharkhand, notorious for being the center of cybercrimes.
How To Protect Yourself Against Phishing
Phishing may come in many forms, including password change requests, fake prizes, and even spear phishing. Spear phishing is when the culprit learns something personal about you and uses that info to extract information from you.
The best way to protect yourself from online phishing attacks is never to accept requests from people whom you don’t know personally. Yes, the prospect of having hundreds of Instagram followers is hard to resist, but it makes you more vulnerable to such attacks.
Do not click on links that you receive from unknown people, no matter how important they may seem. If someone calls you to ask for OTP or claims to be from your bank and suddenly your net banking account needs a password change, it is definitely a fraud.
If, even after all precautions, you have somehow fallen prey to one of these phishing attacks, then report the crime to the police immediately. The fraudsters may make some demands for money. Be sure to turn them down and do not be threatened. They feed on the fear.
Sources: Indian Express, The Seattle Medium, Digital Guardian
Image Sources: Google Images
Find The Blogger: @TinaGarg18
This post is tagged under: phishing attack, instagram, social media, cybercrime, cyber attack, covid-19, pandemic, digital, going digital, drawbacks of internet, internet, instagram phishing, sex video, obscene acts, cyber security, internet attacks, fraud, culprit, fake call, sensitive information, privacy, protect privacy, jamtara
