A. M. In the digital era, online scams have evolved in an alarming way, adapting to new technologies and user behavior on the Internet. Every day, more sophisticated methods appear that deceive even those who believe they are well informed. Victims tend to be people of all ages, and scammers do not discriminate when it comes to obtaining personal data or money.
One of the most common scams today is phishing through social networks. Criminals create fake profiles or impersonate legitimate companies to trick users into revealing sensitive information. Often, these messages contain links that lead to fake pages identical to the real ones, where users are asked to enter passwords or bank details.
Fraud using fake QR codes has also become popular. These codes, which have become common in restaurants, stores, and services, can be manipulated to redirect users to malicious sites that steal information. The recommendation is to always verify the origin of the code before scanning it, especially if it is found in public spaces.
Another type of growing scam is the use of artificial intelligence to clone voices or faces. Through brief recordings or images from social networks, fraudsters can create fake messages or videos in which they appear to be family members or trusted figures, urgently requesting money transfers or sensitive data.
Fake online sweepstakes or giveaways continue to be an effective trap. They usually arrive by email or messages on social networks, promising attractive prizes in exchange for filling out forms with personal information. In many cases, this data is then sold on the dark web or used for additional fraud.
To protect yourself, it is essential to keep the software on your devices up to date, be wary of offers that seem too good to be true, and do not share personal data without first verifying the source. Digital education and constant caution are the best defenses against this ever-changing landscape of web scams.
