Cyber ​​security specialists Bitdefender have discovered a new scam campaign in which fraudsters are trying to exploit the feelings of donors interested in helping victims after the war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.

According to the study, fraudulent messages, through which cybercriminals take advantage of the sympathy of the online community in the context of this devastating war, in order to gain financial benefits, have been sent to users since October 13, and most of them were directed to users in Russia (27%), Sweden (15 %) and Romania (10%).

Despite the thousands of victims and the real need for humanitarian aid, cyber criminals do not hesitate to continue their fraudulent attacks, impersonating victims and representatives of fake charities. The fraudulent messages are similar to those observed by Bitdefender specialists during the war in Ukraine, asking for donations in cryptocurrencies and payment of a fee in advance.

As the war continues, this type of scam will reach even more users around the world, as criminals refine their “stories” and requests for donations as the conflict progresses.

Recommendations to users

Bitdefender experts recommend users to be vigilant when receiving messages with charitable purposes or visiting such sites to help those in need, as the risks of losing financial and personal data are very high, especially during this period.

The best way to be safe and truly help is to contact reputable charities, and those asking for cryptocurrency donations, bank transfers and gift cards are a strong red flag and should be avoided at all costs, Bitdefender says.

Never respond to unsolicited emails, even if you know they are a scam. This will only validate the email address to attackers and expose you to new attacks in the future.

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