Pix comes into effect this month and phishing attacks are on the rise. There are Pix scams being registered, in which criminals take advantage of people's adherence to the novelty, creating fake registration links and pages that mimic bank websites to get them to click. And these are just some of the fraud strategies on the Internet.
This is because phishing is big business in the world of cybercrime. And as attackers perfect their tactics, users become even more vulnerable.
But why do we still fall for scams like this?
Yes, we still fall for these types of scams, and more often than we care to admit. At least 3.4 billion fraudulent emails are sent around the world every day and account for more than half of all reported security incidents.
Whenever there is an issue in the spotlight, or a time when people are more fragile, as happened during the pandemic, countless types of threats linked to the topic arise. This behavior by cybercriminals is not new. The scams often work because, contrary to what some people believe, hackers aren't just good at finding flaws in systems. They also master ways of manipulating people.
Phishing is a cyber attack that uses e-mail in disguise as a weapon. The attacker tricks the recipient into believing that the message is something they want or need. It could be a request from the recipient's bank, for example, or a note from someone at the company where they work, asking them to click on a link or download an attachment.
And no matter how many new vulnerabilities are disclosed on cybersecurity websites, this mode of operation remains the most widely used, prevailing in security incident statistics. Almost all malware, a total of 94%, still reaches computers via email.
There are ways to avoid scams, whether by e-mail or malicious websites. That's why we've put together these five measures to help prevent them:
To avoid falling for Pix scams, check the URLs you use to access websites
The homographic scam consists of registering domains that try to imitate the appearance of famous websites. Keep an eye out for suspicious URLs that swap letters for numbers, such as "go0gle". The tip also applies to less popular domains: addresses ending with ".br", ".edu" and ".org" usually have more credibility than ".biz" and ".net". Only use the financial institution's official website or application to register your PIX key. Type the website into your browser or open the official app on your cell phone.
Avoid clicking on links that arrive by email or whatsapp
These can be phishing attacks. These are fraudulent messages that appear to be sent by trusted companies or people you know, such as your bank or a friend. They may have a form for you to fill in or include a link to a fake page that looks like the real one.
Antimalware
Have good anti-malware software installed on your device. Although it's similar to an antivirus, it's not exactly the same thing. Anti-malware software also protects against the risks posed by spyware, which steals personal information from your computer.
Secure your wireless network (Wi-Fi)
Your home connection appears to everyone within range of the router. Hide it. This way, only those who know the correct connection name can access it. To do this, access the router's interface. In the wireless security section, select the option that doesn't show the SSID (Service Set Identifier. This means the name of the connection). It's also important to activate the router's firewall, if it has one. Often the device comes with a disabled firewall.
Keep systems up to date
Outdated systems are easy doors for virtual threats. With each new update, systems correct flaws and improve security levels. So if you don't update, you're leaving your data vulnerable to risks.