The National Tax and Customs Directorate issued an alert this Wednesday – January 8 – after complaints received at one of its headquarters, according to which, unscrupulous people are using your identity to issue false emails, in order to steal the data and money of Colombians.
On this occasion, the call from the tax authority was made upon learning of a case registered in the department of Santander, where would have resorted to this criminal modality to access people’s personal information.
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“We are alerted about recent cases of identity theft of officials through the fraudulent use of emails to deceive citizens through false communications in the name of the Dian, in search of obtaining money to access the entity’s services,” they warned. .
The entity reported that the fraudulent emails reported They present warning signs such as unofficial senders that do not correspond to the @dian.gov.co domain, outdated graphics or improper use of logos, spelling and regulatory errors, and suspicious requests for personal or financial information.
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Likewise, they often resort to the need to generate urgency with alarming messages, seeking to provoke immediate reactions that can compromise the safety of citizens.
“The Dian has key tools available to citizens to validate the authenticity of the emails and receive recommendations for their identification on the website designated by their directors to avoid fraud,” they added.
The statement also called on citizens to always verify the sender before accepting or clicking on any digital information they receive, since it only uses the domain @dian.gov.co.
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“Official emails include a unique code that can be validated on your web portal. It is crucial to analyze the content in search of errors and inconsistent formats and, if in doubt, consult official channels such as the Dian portal or its customer service line, 601 489 9000, to confirm the authenticity of the communications received,” says the entity’s report.
Given the known cases, it was reported that work is already being done in coordination with the judicial authorities to investigate these fraudulent activities and protect citizens.
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“Any suspicious communication can be reported directly to the virtual CAI of the National Police at https://caivirtual.policia.gov.co. Finally, the entity reiterates the call to citizens so that the verification of official communications is done only through authorized channels,” they stated.
Beware of Pishing
This modality that Dian denounced is popularly known as phishing and consists of cybercriminals sending fraudulent emails posing as that entity or another or commercial companies, launching alerts or offering benefits or prizes that people have not requested to steal their data.
In addition to stealing personal information, criminals also seek to induce improper payments, taking advantage of the trust generated by official brands or large commercial stores.
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According to experts, criminals resort to this strategy for its psychological effectiveness and the potential for profit it offers, since alarming messages pressure victims to act impulsively, while the appearance of officiality increases the credibility of the deception.
To avoid falling into these traps, it is essential to verify that the senders of the emails are trustworthy and correspond to official domains. Personal or financial information should not be provided in links or forms of dubious origin.
Finally, it is important to review the content in search of spelling errors or graphic inconsistencies and if there is any suspicion, it is recommended to consult the official channels of the aforementioned organization and avoid acting under pressure or urgency.
