The Civil Guard has warned of a new scam in which cybercriminals are trying to impersonate the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) through a campaign of fraudulent text messages, as reported by the worthy in her X account (formerly Twitter).
According to the Internet User Safety Office (OSI), these messages inform the recipient of an alleged traffic fine and ask them to review the file through the attached link.
By clicking on the provided URL, the user is redirected to a website where their personal and banking details will be stolen. A method known as smishing, very common among cybercriminals.
The OSI notes that these text messages contain some spelling mistakes. As for the link, if we click, it will redirect us to a website with the DGT logo and in which we are given a final notification of an unpaid fine before the surcharge, communicating that we have 24 hours to pay the fine.
In addition, it invites us to press the ‘Pay the fine’ button, which accesses another screen where we are asked for personal information (surname, first name, date of birth, postal address, postal code, city, email, telephone number ). Finally, it will request credit or debit card information.
Both the Civil Guard and the OSI ask users to “not bite” this new scam: “In case you have received an SMS that matches the characteristics described, but you have not clicked on the link provided, we recommend that you block the sender of the message and delete it from your inbox.
However, if the user has fallen for the scam, it is recommended to keep all possible evidence of smishing (such as screenshots) and the links attached to them. Also notify the bank of the incident. Finally, report the fraud to the National Cybersecurity Institute (Incibe) to prevent more people from becoming victims.