Data on 76 million credit cards are up for sale on the “dark web”. scammers target younger consumers on social media.

V tik tak The hoax, in which users call their friends using the voice of an automatic answering machine to tell them that a sum of money is about to be taken from their account, is gaining ground. Kaspersky Lab researchers recorded an increase in the number of malicious emails in June (almost 100,000 in total) and about 350,000 in the period from March to June 2022.

“Generation Z grew up with a phone or an iPad in their hands,” said Christine Halvorsen, managing director of Protiviti, a risk and compliance consulting firm. “He is very comfortable buying things online and trusting those transactions.”

According to Kaspersky research 39% of Gen Z respondents were victims of phishing. The same study highlights a particularly troubling element: the overconfidence of this generation’s children about the safety of online shopping.

The amounts lost by young people are much smaller than those lost by older people.who are more likely to be victims of phone scams than people posing as relatives or help desk technicians. The average cost of online fraud for people aged 18 to 59 was $500 in 2021, and $1,500 for people aged 80 and over.

On the Dark Web, information about stolen credit cards is sold for between 0.40 bitcoins (about 300 euros) and 2.40 bitcoins (about 2,000 euros). The price varies depending on the days the user can use them and the allowed credit limit of each card.

The dark web page says: “Clone credit cards for sale with a four-digit code that can be used anywhere in the world. You can use them at ATMs, stores and online shopping. We can send you a complete guide on how to use them in absolute safety. The price for each card is 0.40 bitcoin with a credit limit of $4,000-$5,000. If you buy a card and lie about it being invalid when requesting a replacement, you will be blacklisted from future purchases from us. If we make a mistake, the card will be replaced.”

“The exact amount is difficult to determine,” said a NordVPN analyst. “The FTC reports that US consumers are losing more than $3.3 billion to credit card fraud, up from $1.8 billion in 2019.”

The report includes a breakdown of card skimming by state: California (88,000), Texas (74,000) and Florida (62,000) are the states with the most leaks, while Alabama, Wyoming and Washington have the most leaks per capita.

“While the amounts are small, there is usually a plan,” say experts who study internet scams. A Protiviti expert said that social media ad scammers are usually offshoots of organized crime, focused more on data theft than financial gain.

• Use local retail websites whenever possible – they are more likely to resolve any issues that arise.
• Do your research – check the reviews before making a purchase.
• Use credit cards – you have a better chance of getting your money back in case of fraud.
• Pay only through a secure payment service. Are you being asked to transfer money? Think twice!
• Pay only when you’re connected to the internet via a secure connection – avoid using free or open public Wi-Fi networks.
• Pay only through a secure device – keep your operating system and security software up to date.
• Beware of ads offering outrageous offers or miracle products. If this sounds too good to be true, then it’s probably fake.!
• A pop-up message that you’ve won a prize? Think again. You may have “earned” malware.
• If you do not receive the item, please contact the seller/seller. If you do not receive a response, please contact your bank.

According to the Wall Street Journal