UK Edition
Worried about Brexit? Online scammers are targeting you
The advent of a new week brings with it an inventive new scam attack. Online scammers have been found to be preying on the fears of British people in the wake of the EU Referendum to get them to download malicious software onto their devices, according to security researchers.
The latest phishing attack exploits Britons' fears about the economy and political turmoil in the wake of the controversial vote.
It comes in the form of an email with a subject line about political uncertainty or economic turmoil, such as "Brexit causes historic market drop". When unsuspecting users open the such malicious emails it downloads software onto their computers or devices.
Such software is known for spying on users, and stealing personal and financial information.
"We have certainly noted an increase in the use of Brexit-related topics in email to encourage users to click on content since last Friday’s referendum," said James Chappell, co-founder of London-based cybersecurity company Digital Shadows.
"A common ploy being used by cybercriminals is to send emails that references 'Brexit causes historic market drop' designed to create urgency in the recipient to click a link or open an attachment as a means of delivering malware."
Chappell advises people to be extra cautious with suspicious Brexit-related emails. "Do not open attachments or links, and delete these types of emails straight away," he said.
Targeted phishing attacks are on the rise, with the content becoming ever more believable. Recently users reported received fake messages offering technical support that appeared to come from their internet service provider.
The attackers behind the ISP scam were able to work out their victims' ISP through placing malicious adverts on websites that surreptitiously infects their computer and feeds back information about their IP address.
While it's hard for the Brexit scammers to know which way users voted, quick searches on social media could reveal information that would make voters more vulnerable.