Miory Regional Executive Committee

Law enforcement officers met with students at the Media Center of the Vitebsk Region to remind them of the basics of safe online behavior and the importance of educating their parents on this matter.

The event was organized by the Department of Internal Affairs of the Regional Executive Committee as part of the republican preventive campaign "Decade of Cybersecurity 'CyberChildren'."

— This year, over 700 cybercrimes have been recorded. Most of them involve theft of funds from bank accounts. Citizens have lost over 970 thousand rubles. Among the victims were 21 minors, — said Colonel Alexander Garus, Head of the Department for Combating Cybercrime of the Criminal Police of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Regional Executive Committee. — Sometimes teenagers themselves act as perpetrators. For example, in Vitebsk, one of them deceived four peers: he asked for their phones to make calls, but instead made money transfers using the mobile operator's application. The total damage amounted to 400 rubles. A college student, taking advantage of unrestricted access to his roommate's laptop in the dormitory, logged into his online casino account and lost approximately 1,000 rubles.

Perpetrators constantly refine existing methods and devise new ones to steal others' money and evade deserved punishment. Their primary goal remains the same — to extract confidential information from individuals, specifically by tricking them into clicking a special link (a technique known as phishing) or through deceptive phone calls (vishing).

Today, there is a sharp rise in illegal activities involving the unauthorized use of other people's accounts in the popular Viber application, which enables internet calling. Criminals require such accounts to evade accountability by contacting potential victims under disguised phone numbers. Furthermore, fraudsters may employ various schemes to gain control over these messaging platforms.

— Messages containing links that offer to obtain the required information are frequently distributed in chats and communities: fake news, part-time job offers, or details regarding your child’s academic progress. Upon following the link, under a seemingly legitimate pretext, you will be asked to grant access to your account from another device, — stated Alexander Garus. — Once the criminals gain control of the account, they start calling our fellow citizens: requesting their participation in a police special operation to apprehend fraudsters who illegally secured a loan, or impersonating bank staff who have detected suspicious activity on the interlocutor’s account. Individuals are more inclined to trust calls originating from banks or other state institutions when they come from a Belarusian phone number. For instance, recently a worker from Orsha lost approximately 13,000 rubles after conversing with a fake law enforcement officer, while a teacher from Glubokoe lost over 8,000 rubles. In total, around 960 residents of the Vitebsk Region fell victim to such crimes this year.

Another widely used method involves the deployment of malicious software. In 2022 alone, operatives identified 12 hackers engaged in such activities.

— We monitor the Internet to identify suspicious websites, as well as developers and users of prohibited software designed, for instance, to gain access to databases containing individuals’ social media accounts, bank details, and electronic wallet credentials. Subsequently, such data is utilized for fund theft, fraud, extortion, or is simply sold, — emphasized the officer. — This activity is primarily carried out by young individuals, some of whom have prior convictions under similar charges.

Cybercriminals also operate on online dating platforms. Following a brief exchange of messages, a fraudulent female profile suggests to her suitor that they meet for the first time at a theater, a hookah lounge, or similar venues. The perpetrator then shares a link to a website where tickets can be purchased or a table reserved. Ultimately, the suitor is left completely drained of funds on their card.

— It is also important not to forget about other methods that fraudsters have long and, unfortunately, successfully exploited. In particular, they frequently call, posing as a relative involved in a traffic accident, and ask the person on the other end of the line to hand over a substantial sum to a courier to compensate the injured parties or resolve matters with law enforcement officials, emphasized Alexander Garus. — Therefore, I once again draw citizens' attention to the fact that under no circumstances should you click on links sent to you purportedly by bank employees or other individuals. If you have inadvertently granted access to your messaging application account, this can be easily rectified in the settings. Furthermore, do not apply for loans following calls from unknown callers, do not transfer funds to specified accounts, and do not install software recommended by them. Should you have the slightest suspicion that a crime is being committed against you, immediately contact your bank and the police.

Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by