Football fans are eagerly anticipating the 2026 World Cup. However, the sporting event is becoming a hotbed of fraudulent activity aimed at deceiving the public with dubious offers.

In several countries, warnings have been issued about the sale of counterfeit collectible albums and stickers, particularly in cases of street purchases, without any commercial backing. Despite the buyer’s responsibility, this is an act of bad faith towards fans who trust in acquiring genuine items at low prices.

On the other hand, there are accommodation offers at prices that suggest a scam. In these cases, the recommendation is to look for packages from verified tour operators and establish direct contact with the company to avoid falling victim to scams.

A greater risk of being deceived lies in online promotions and offers for items related to soccer teams, such as jerseys, caps, team bags, and sports brands.

Cybercriminals take advantage of this to lead internet users down false paths and install malicious software to steal personal information for criminal purposes.

Prevention and common sense

It is important to remain alert to any indication of dubious offers or promotions. Ideally, avoid accessing unknown websites, pop-up windows that appear automatically while browsing, and emails from unknown or unverified senders.

Likewise, be wary of incredible offers; that is, promotions that are, even, ridiculous.

Remember that no platform can request passwords or banking information. Sending authentication codes is essential during online searches to protect sensitive data.

M.Pino

With information from national and international media

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La entrada Online scams related to the 2026 World Cup are on the rise apareció primero en Bitfinance.

ESET, a leading company in proactive threat detection, analyzes recovery scams, a type of money recovery fraud that operates as an umbrella term encompassing various predatory tactics, all aimed at the same goal: a second blow. Furthermore, it warns that if you take a moment to understand how they work, you’ll have a good chance of staying safe should you be contacted.

“Scammers only care about making money and take advantage of every opportunity to do so. If you’ve fallen for a scam, you shouldn’t let your guard down, as they won’t hesitate to revictimize you or exploit your desperation to recover stolen funds,” warns the ESET Latin America Cybersecurity Research Lab.

These scams begin when fraudsters buy lists of victims who have already fallen for fraud from other criminals, or they directly target victims of fraud they themselves have committed. Once identified, they contact them and impersonate recovery service providers, consumer protection agencies, government officials, law enforcement, regulators, and so on.

When exchanging information about the case, they promise to try to recover the funds in exchange for an advance payment, or they may claim that they already have the money and are redistributing it to affected customers. Another alternative is that they mention they only need to complete paperwork to release a refund supposedly managed by a government agency or entity.

“This is basically a form of advance fee scam, which in the United States in 2024 resulted in more than 7,000 reports and more than $102 million in losses. Even so, these numbers likely represent only the tip of the iceberg,” adds the ESET Lab.

ESET reports and details the warning signs to avoid a recovery scam

• Exaggerated claims: They say they already have funds or “guarantee” their recovery.
• Unsolicited contact: They arrive without being sought out, via email, social media, SMS, or phone call.
• Upfront payment: They request an initial fee, perhaps called a retainer fee, processing fee, administrative charge, or even a tax-related fee.
• Social engineering: They pressure you into making hasty decisions.
• Impersonation: They claim to be from an official agency, bank, or fraud team.
• Untraceable payment methods: They request crypto, gift cards, or payment apps that are difficult to reverse.
• Unprofessional emails: They use Gmail accounts or other webmail services instead of legitimate corporate addresses.

To avoid becoming a victim again, ESET shares and mentions some recommendations to keep in mind: never pay upfront fees to someone who contacts you out of the blue; always verify the identity of the person contacting you by looking up their information on official websites; And avoid posting stories online about how you were scammed, as criminals monitor the web for victims to target again.

If you have already been a victim of a money recovery scam, according to ESET, your options are limited. They advise reporting the incident to the relevant official authority in your country. This helps authorities map the fraud landscape and protect future victims. If you paid through a bank, notify them as soon as possible. Monitor your accounts and freeze any affected cards. If you provided personal information, change your passwords, activate MFA, and prepare for more convincing phishing attempts in the future.

ESET invites you to learn more about cybersecurity by visiting: https://www.welivesecurity.com/es/.

For other useful preventative information, you can also visit: https://www.eset.com/ve/, and their social media channels @eset_ve. They are also on Instagram (@esetla) and Facebook (ESET).

Information and image provided by ESET and Comstat Rowland

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La entrada The double deception: Fake services that scam you to recover money after you’ve been frauded apareció primero en Bitfinance.

With the advancement of new technologies, more sophisticated methods for fraud and other digital crimes are emerging. Particularly in e-commerce, security is a priority.

The arrival of simpler payment methods, based on AI and other emerging technologies, does not stop the emergence of new forms of fraud. Cybercriminals adapt, improve their attack tools and break down all barriers.

The financial sector is the preferred sector for digital fraudsters. Losses far exceed those obtained by criminals from drug trafficking and other illegal activities globally.

Scam methods are becoming more aggressive thanks to the use by cybercriminals of generative AI that allows them to impersonate identities in a way that is imperceptible to victims.

Deepfakes are used to carry out fraudulent transactions that bypass system barriers. But this method is not enough, and instant payments are added by impersonating trusted contacts. These so-called “friendly” scams are the most dangerous.

Cybersecurity experts advise staying alert to any unusual details in an email, a phone call or operations in stores where payment can be made by contactless, fingerprint payment, among others. Also, activate two-factor authentication on all devices, which is highly effective against digital fraud.

M.Pino

With information from international media

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La entrada Digital frauds are becoming more sophisticated apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The crimes of scams, fraud and cryptocurrency hacks have generated losses in the order of $573 million dollars in the first quarter of 2024.

The data published by the Web3 Immunefi security platform indicates that the increase in these crimes is considerable compared to 2023, due to more than 70 incidents with computer attacks.

“These losses represent an increase of 70.3 % compared to the 336.3 million dollars that were recorded in the first quarter, and 112 % compared to the second quarter of 2023, when hackers and scammers stole 265.5 million dollars,” indicates the platform.

They add that during 2024 thefts amount to more than 900 million dollars through computer attacks and fraud, which represents 24 % more than in the same period in 2023.

“With nearly $100 billion in total value locked in Web3 protocols, according to DeFiLlama data, decentralized finance remains the top target for hackers,” accounting for 100 % of the exploits identified by Immunefi in the first quarter of the year.

For the April-June period, the main target was centralized finance, representing 70 % ($401.4 million) of the quarter’s losses, compared to 30 % ($171.3 million) for DeFi.

Most of the losses came from “two exploits that totaled $360 million, 62.8% of the total. A $305 million attack on Japanese cryptocurrency exchange DMM Bitcoin represented the largest attack, while another $55 million was stolen from Turkish exchange BtcTurk on June 23.

The networks with the most attacks were Ethereum and BNB Chain; while Arbitrum, Blast, Optimism, Solana, Polygon, Fantom, Linea, Mantle and TON made up the rest of the incidents.

M.Pino

Source: cripto247

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La entrada Cryptocurrency scams generated losses of $573 million dollars apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Phone call scams are common these days. Google seeks to combat this crime by relying on artificial intelligence. In this sense, the technology company presented a function to analyze possible scam calls in real time.

“Applications like TrueCaller or Google Phone itself have identifiers that detect if an incoming call comes from a banking institution or is a scam. Although these apps help reduce the problem, they do not solve it completely, which is why Google is turning to artificial intelligence.”

Google’s new function was recently unveiled at the I/O 2024 presentation. Its function is to detect a fraudulent call thanks to AI. Instead of relying on a database, what it does is analyze the conversation in real time to “look for specific words or phrases. If it detects them, it will activate an alert and suggest the user hang up.”

“This is possible thanks to Gemini Nano, the foundational model included in the Pixel.” Google has pointed out that the analysis is executed directly on the phone and no data is uploaded to the cloud, which is why the application guarantees the privacy of the conversations.

Sameer Samat, president of the Android ecosystem, noted in a Google blog post that users will receive an alert in case of a request from “a bank representative” to urgently transfer funds, or make a payment with a gift card or if it asks for personal information such as card PINs or passwords.

The new feature specifically designed for mobile devices is in the testing stage “and will be implemented in the future as an optional feature on Pixels.”

It is important to clarify that unlike its older brother, “Nano’s AI does not require an internet connection. Tasks are executed on the device, a feature that protects the privacy and security of personal data.”

It is known that the phones that will have this functionality will be the Pixel and Samsung Galaxy. The rest of the high-end models, and the mid- and low-range ones, will have to wait.

M.Pino

Source: hipertextual

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La entrada Google will combat telephone scam with the support of AI apareció primero en Bitfinance.

In an alert launched by the Chinese Ministry of Information Technology, citizens were warned about a fake digital yuan application that steals money and confidential data from users.

On social networks, the Chinese authority gave details of the malicious application, which uses a false logo of the digital yuan, causing confusion among users.

At the moment, it has been indicated that the app promises dividends, “it provides false customer service that directs the user to unusual social tools to facilitate the confiscation of the user’s funds.”

Another aspect to take into account is that the user interface of the fake application has a different name than the real one, so it is essential not to use it automatically, but to detail its appearance so as not to be a victim of fraud.

Furthermore, the Ministry has revealed that the version number and MD5 message digest identity are different.

At the moment, there are no details available about the measures that the Chinese government would be taking to stop this scam. Apparently, this malicious app could not be found in the Apple or Google application stores either.

M.Pino

Source: cointelegraph

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La entrada Fake digital yuan application triggers alarms in China apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The European Chamber gave the green light to new regulations that will revolutionize the financial sector in the European Union (EU). These measures, adopted by a strong vote of 599 in favor, 7 against and 35 abstentions, will force banks and payment providers to process euro transfers in less than 10 seconds, offering these instant payments at the same price as traditional transfers.

Michiel Hoogeveen, the Dutch MEP responsible for the dossier, stressed the importance of this decision for consumers and businesses, noting that it eliminates the waiting of several working days to access funds. In a statement, he hailed the benefit of transferring money in a matter of seconds at any time of day.

The new regulations ensure that instant transfers are processed immediately, regardless of when they are made, ensuring that the money reaches the recipient in less than ten seconds. In addition, the payer must receive a notification within this period confirming the execution of the transfer.

These regulations also stipulate that the cost of instant transfers may not exceed that of normal euro transfers, both to the sender and to the receiver.

In terms of security, measures will be implemented to improve fraud detection and prevention, preventing funds from being misappropriated by mistake or fraud. Payment providers shall provide customer verification services free of charge, and in the event of discrepancies between the name of the sender and the holder of the receiving account, corrective action, including compensation for financial loss, shall be taken.

In addition, banks and payment providers should verify whether their customers are sanctioned or subject to anti-money-laundering and anti-terrorist financing measures.

Once in force, EU countries will have one year to implement these new rules, marking a milestone in the facilitation of financial transactions in the region.

K. Tovar

Source: Bancaynegocios

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La entrada EU to demand that transfers in Europe be immediate apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the controversial founder of cryptocurrency exchange platform FTX, will not face a second trial in the United States, prosecutors confirmed last Friday. After being found guilty last month of defrauding FTX users, Bankman-Fried was embroiled in a series of charges that culminated in a first conviction trial.

The U.S. Department of Justice. The U.S. decided not to proceed with a second trial, based on arguments presented in a Manhattan federal court. According to sources, prosecutors felt that another trial would only delay justice and would not contribute significantly to the case, given that much of the evidence had already been presented before.

Bankman-Fried, 31, was facing six additional charges following his November conviction for crimes including electronic fraud, securities fraud and money laundering. These charges related to violations of campaign finance laws and illegal money transfer operations. However, prosecutors decided not to pursue these additional charges.

The former CEO of FTX, extradited from the Bahamas in December 2022, remains in prison awaiting sentencing. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 2024, facing a possible maximum sentence of more than 100 years in prison. This turn of events marks another chapter in the fall of one of the most recognized names in the world of cryptocurrencies.

K. Tovar

Source: Diariobitcoin

(Reference image source: X, @MailOnline)

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La entrada Sam Bankman-Fried will not have a second trial apareció primero en Bitfinance.

FTX, the cryptocurrency platform under scrutiny by the laws in the United States, proposed in court a restructuring of the company to return money to customers and also end the bankruptcy process.

As you may remember, FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is in prison after being found guilty last November for one of the largest cryptocurrency financial frauds in the United States.

Previously, the platform had declared bankruptcy and initiated the relevant process before the authorities. However, the accusations against the CEO determined the theft of billions of dollars from FTX clients.

Creditor claims, so far, are estimated at USD 9 billion. In this regard, FTX is seeking an agreement with the court to stop the bankruptcy process by returning the funds. However, if it receives approval for this plan, “it means that creditors could lose millions in potential profits from settlement in fiat currency. Some creditors have pointed out that such a proposal would go against FTX’s Terms of Service, which stated that titles to digital assets belonged to clients and not to the exchange,” according to one of the reports.

This proposal must obtain the approval of creditors by vote, in addition to the court. According to the CoinDesk source, a hearing will be set in 2024. Furthermore, The Block notes that “several approval thresholds in both dollar amount and number of claimants are required for the plan to take effect.”

M.Pino

Source: diariobitcoin

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La entrada FTX proposes measures to return money to clients apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Shakira made a deposit of 6.6 million euros before a court, responding to accusations of tax fraud in 2018. This case marks the second case opened against the artist for alleged crimes against the Spanish Treasury.

Legal sources reported that the Colombian singer handed over the aforementioned sum last August in an investigative court located in Esplugues de Llobregat, near Barcelona (Spain). While she waits for the magistrate’s summons to declare herself as under investigation in this second instance, the deposit made could allow her to benefit from a mitigating circumstance for reparation of damage in the event of being convicted again for tax fraud.

El Periódico de Catalunya announced that this mitigating circumstance was key in the agreement reached by the artist last Monday with the Prosecutor’s Office and the private accusations. This agreement prevented her from going to prison in the first trial for tax fraud in Spain, committing to pay a million-dollar fine. In said trial, Shakira accepted a fine of close to 7.8 million euros and acknowledged having defrauded the Treasury of 14.5 million between 2012 and 2014. Despite the three-year prison sentence for six tax crimes, she will not have to fulfill it thanks to the payment agreement.

It should be noted that, even before the Prosecutor’s Office filed her complaint, Shakira had already returned the 14.5 million defrauded to the Treasury, although this gesture did not stop the criminal actions taken by the public ministry.

K. Tovar

Source: UnionRadio

(Referential image source: X, @ShakiraKingdom)

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La entrada Shakira paid the court her fine for tax fraud apareció primero en Bitfinance.