Internet fraud has reached 39 percent of the country's cybercrime cases in the first six months of this year. Brigadier General Vahid Majid, head of the Cyber Police of Faraja, emphasizes in an exclusive interview that this statistic indicates a significant increase in the activities of fraudsters in cyberspace. This comes despite the Cyber Police having repeatedly warned about various methods of fraud in previous years, yet fraudsters continuously change their deceptive methods based on changes in user behavior.
Common methods of fraudsters
Brigadier General Majid identifies one of the most significant examples of cyber fraud as fake advertisements on advertisement-based websites. In this method, a product is advertised at a reasonable price, and after finding a customer, a deposit is requested from them. According to him, after the money is transferred, the seller may no longer respond.
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Additionally, visiting fake channels and pages titled 'instant loan grants' is also one of the frequently used methods by fraudsters. In these cases, applicants for loans face requests to pay fees under the guise of administrative and tax matters. Brigadier General Majid also points to fake lotteries where an individual is introduced as a winner and must provide their internet banking service information or activation code to another person to receive the prize.
Emotions; a tool for deception
Brigadier General Majid emphasizes that fraudsters seek to create a quick reaction in their audience. They exploit various emotions such as fear, urgency, greed, and curiosity to push users into hasty decisions. For example, messages about arrest warrants or account suspensions can induce fear, or promises of guaranteed profits from instant loans can trigger greed.
The head of the Cyber Police of Faraja believes that these deceptive methods and disregard for police warnings are major factors in deceiving users and clicking on infected links. Nevertheless, the main question is why, despite warnings, people still click on infected links? Brigadier General Majid answers that fraudsters can easily find new victims by exploiting users' real emotions, such as the need for cheaper purchases or concerns about legal issues.
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