Stolen Free Fire Account Drains 2,000,000 Tenge from a Kazakh Family
A youngster, easily persuaded by a crook's plan, followed instructions to snap photos and transfer data from his mother's bank card, including the verification code. Following the illegal transaction of over two million tenge, the mother of the school-aged kid only realized the funds were missing when she contacted the authorities.
The culprit was eventually apprehended.
Previously, experts have advised against trusting so-called "financial whizzes" found on social media.
There are various deceptive practices popular among scammers on social networks targeting Kazakhs. Although an exhaustive list of the top five schemes isn't available, certain types of fraud should be recognized to avoid falling victim to such scams. Here are some common schemes and reasons to steer clear:
- Cryptocurrency Scams: Scammers trick individuals into depositing funds into their cryptocurrency wallets. To combat such financial frauds, banks in Kazakhstan are integrating AI[5].
- Fake Lotteries and Biologically Active Supplements: Scammers offer non-existent goods and lotteries, attempting to extract money from victims through psychological manipulation. These are usually managed through call centers using advanced technologies[2].
- Data Leaks and Suspicious Messages: Users often encounter suspicious messages, and a lack of digital literacy can result in personal data leaks. Caution should be exercised when sharing sensitive information online[3][4].
- Fake Financial Offers: Scammers use social media to promote false financial opportunities such as high-yield investments or instant cash. These offers are frequently scams designed to pilfer personal financial information.
- Social Engineering: Scammers manipulate individuals into actions compromising their security, like clicking on malicious links or disclosing sensitive information. Social engineering schemes are common in social media scams[3].
These schemes should be avoided because they are deliberately designed to mislead and manipulate individuals, resulting in financial loss and identity theft. The employment of psychological pressure and modern technology make them extremely dangerous. Furthermore, the low recovery rate of funds from such scams underscores the importance of prevention and awareness[5].
I, as a concerned individual in this general-news landscape, will be wary of online scams targeting Kazakhs, specifically avoiding cryptocurrency scams, fake lotteries, suspicious messages, fake financial offers, and social engineering techniques. Employing technology like AI, as banks in Kazakhstan are doing, can help combat these schemes.
