Fake Wi-Fi fraud and pix blow are some of the most common blows that are applied in Brazil, especially during Carnival. The warning is from the Brazilian Association of Banks (ABBC).
Through the campaign It has a blow The entity is offering guidance to the population, especially the revelers, how to prevent financial fraud during this popular party.
One of the association’s main tips is for the reveler to redouble care when buying food and drinks in street blocks. ABBC advises that the card owner should never deliver it directly to the seller, especially on the street or unusual establishments. Criminals can pass traders, memorize the customer’s password and change the card during the transaction.
In addition, one should not accept to pay a purchase if the machine collection display is broken or deleted, preventing the view of the real amount of the purchase. Scammers can insert a value far above what the victim would have to pay, leading to losses.
Another tip is for payment to be made preferably by approach via cell phone. According to the association, this type of payment is safer as it enables an additional authentication layer with biometrics or password for access to the digital portfolio before making the payment. In physical cards, it is recommended to disable approach function to prevent criminals from taking advantage of the agglomeration to capture card signals and perform debts without user consent.
“During Carnival, in addition to the blows with card machines, attempts are often attempted and theft of the mobile device, as criminals seek to gain access to applications and bank accounts for financial advantages. Therefore, it is important for the client to use robust passwords and leaves various layers of safety, such as double factor authentication, biometrics or facial reader for applications, “said Silvia Scorsato, president of ABBC.
Most common blows
One of the most recurring scams during Carnival is the Fake link related to ticket purchase. In this blow, criminals create fake sites to steal money, simulating official ticket sales sites for parties and cabins. In this case, it warns the association, it is important that the consumer always check the authenticity of the websites before making the purchase, looking for security certificates and also checking the official URL of authorized sellers.
Another tip is about the famous pix blow, where criminals are passing by sellers, but change the value of the purchase before showing the QR code at the time of payment. The recommendation is that in situations like this, the reveler is aware of the price charged by the product before confirming the bank transaction. A good practice, guides ABBC, is to decrease the limit of values that can be traded by Pix.
Another quite common blow at this time of year is that of false public wifi networks. Through this coup, the criminal can spy on mobile phone navigation and even intercept information and passwords in unprotected networks. The same can occur with battery charging totems that are connected to suspicious USB cables, facilitating the transmission of malware and invasion of cell phones. The tip here is to use an extra battery with its own charger and cable.
Security Tips
To get safer at Carnival and avoid financial scams and fraud, ABBC recommends that revelers activate safety controls on its cell phones, such as multiple authentication factor, concealment and protection of bank applications with the activation of assistive control (on Apple devices ) and theft protection on Android devices. Another important point is to have location and locking features of the pre -configured remotely set device.
Regarding bank applications, it is possible to activate protective functions such as location, transfer limits, concealment and protection with additional passwords and activation of safety controls for digital portfolios for payment only with biometric password.
In cases of theft or cell phone theft, the victim should look for security agencies to make a police report and also warn the bank immediately through the official service channels.
It is also important to communicate the telephone operator. To completely block the device, it is necessary to have noted the IMEI number of identification of the device. This information can be obtained directly from the device, through mobile settings, in the option “About the phone”.
