Cybercriminals break into organizations to steal sensitive data, and sometimes they affect parties. Your own (personal) data can also be involved in such a theft. Everyone should take this into account. Protect yourself and be on your guard against phishing mail and fake messages.
Several organizations reported a data breach in May 2024. They are all customers of the same company, which sends messages and invoices on behalf of organizations such as housing corporations, banks, water boards, and drinking water companies. This party also collects municipal and water board taxes.
Cybercriminals broke into this company and made the systems unusable with ransomware. They also stole sensitive data. The organizations involved immediately informed their customers, along with the warning to beware of phishing mail and fake messages.
This is not an exception: data theft occurs regularly. Cybercriminals trade databases with stolen data. Unique elements, such as your email address or mobile number, make it easier to link data from different sources. For example, it becomes possible to link data from a previous data theft to your home address.
Risk for everyone
Cybercriminals are getting smarter and are constantly looking for new ways to break into organizations and steal data. Data theft is a regular occurrence, only major, high-profile cases make the news.
Our personal data is stored in the database of many organizations. This means that there is a risk that your data is also involved in such a theft. This can happen to anyone. At an international level, authorities are working together to reduce this form of crime. However, data theft will never disappear and the risks will continue to exist. We all have to take this into account.
Phishing emails and fake messages
Often, such a data theft is followed by a wave of attacks with phishing mail and fake messages. Criminals use phishing mail and fake messages for theft and fraud. They send fake messages via text messages, and social media such as Facebook and also via WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. They look for ways to empty your bank account. With fake messages, they try to persuade people to transfer money.
Victims of phishing mail and fake messages are sometimes ashamed and keep it to themselves. This is not wise and there is no need to be ashamed. It can happen to anyone. Always report it. The police can advise you on the next steps, such as contacting the Fraud Help Desk or the Central Reporting Point for Identity Fraud .
Attacks occur daily
Phishing and fake message attacks are a growing problem. They have become an indispensable part of the digital world. It is important to protect yourself against these types of attacks.
This starts with using a good digital security package. is the best all-in-one plan that protects all your devices. It protects against malware and ransomware and includes anti-phishing, a reliable password manager, and a secure VPN. The new email protection in this package monitors your mailbox and marks emails as trusted or unsafe. This way you stay one step ahead of scammers.
Scamio next-gen scam detector
In the fight against scams, Bitdefender has developed a new service: Scamio. This is a next-generation scam detector that uses artificial intelligence to identify online scams. Everyone can use this advanced service for free. Scamio analyzes suspicious links, text messages, emails, images, and QR codes.
Scamio works like a chatbot. You chat with it just like you chat with your friends and colleagues on WhatsApp or Messenger. It is easy to use and works on any device. You don’t have to install or download anything. The web app is suitable for any browser. You can also use Scamio directly in WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. All you need is a free Bitdefender account.
As soon as you see something suspicious, open the Scamio chatbot in your browser or chat via WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. You simply put the suspicious things in the chatbot, for example, links, QR codes, or images. Upload screenshots of suspicious messages, such as an email, text messages,s or a social media message. Scamio will then tell you whether it is safe or not.
Digital identity protection
Criminals trade the stolen data. Protect yourself from the consequences of data theft. Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection monitors your identity 24/7. It searches for compromised accounts, exposed passwords, and other sensitive information. Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection alerts you as soon as it detects a breach, so you can take timely action.
Don’t wait any longer and protect yourself. Secure all your devices, including your smartphone and tablet, with the security package. The new email protection and digital identity protection are included in this package.
Never doubt whether a message is trustworthy, just ask Scamio. Scamio is free to use for everyone.
