International Scam Network Poses as Israeli Police Via SMS
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
An international scam network is impersonating the Israel Police through SMS messages, tricking recipients into visiting fake payment websites to steal their financial information. Researchers found three such sites in Israel, part of a larger global operation linked to China. The National Cyber Directorate urges the public not to click suspicious links and to report fraud attempts.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- An international scam network is impersonating the Israel Police via SMS messages.
- The fraudulent messages threaten recipients with legal action over unpaid traffic tickets.
- Scammers use fake websites that mimic official government payment portals to steal data.
- The scam infrastructure is linked to a global operation based in China.
- The National Cyber Directorate advises against clicking suspicious links and reporting fraud.
An international fraud network is targeting Israelis with SMS messages impersonating the Israel Police, according to research by cybersecurity firm ReasonLabs. The messages falsely claim recipients have unpaid traffic tickets and threaten legal action if not settled within 24 hours. The links in these messages lead to fake websites designed to mimic the official government payment portal, aiming to steal credit card details and personal information.
Researchers identified three such websites registered and activated in September as part of this scam. While the messages appear to originate from Israeli traffic police, some were sent from phone numbers traced to India and Uruguay. The fraudulent infrastructure is linked to a larger global operation based in China, which facilitates the rapid creation and deployment of fake websites, even after they are blocked.
This network is not limited to Israel; it also impersonates official entities in the United States and Europe, including toll services like E-ZPass, the IRS, the USPS, and government bodies in the UK and Canada. ReasonLabs emphasizes that official logos or familiar designs do not guarantee a website's legitimacy and recommends using their MOZO app to identify scams. The National Cyber Directorate advises against clicking suspicious links and suggests users visit official websites directly, reporting any suspected fraud attempts to hotline 119.
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