Cyber Firm Uncovers International Scam Ring Impersonating Israeli Police
Translated & summarized from Panet by baba
Cybersecurity firm ReasonLabs has uncovered an international fraud network impersonating Israeli government entities, including the police, to steal credit card and personal data. The scammers sent fake traffic violation notices via SMS, directing victims to fraudulent websites that mimicked official Israeli government portals. The operation, which also targeted users in the US and Europe, used websites registered simultaneously and sent messages from international numbers, highlighting the need for caution with online communications.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- An international fraud network is impersonating Israeli police to steal credit card and personal data.
- Scammers sent fake traffic violation SMS messages with a 24-hour payment deadline.
- Victims were directed to fake websites that mimicked the official Israeli government portal 'gov.il'.
- The fraudulent websites were registered simultaneously and messages originated from international numbers.
- Cybersecurity firm ReasonLabs identified the scam and recommends using its MOZO app for detection.
A sophisticated international fraud network has been operating in Israel in recent weeks, impersonating government agencies to steal credit card details and personal information, according to research by cybersecurity firm ReasonLabs. The firm, which developed the fraud detection app MOZO, reported that researchers identified three websites designed to mimic the Israeli Police's traffic ticket payment service. This infrastructure was also active in the United States and Europe.
In the Israeli operation, scammers sent SMS messages posing as traffic police, claiming recipients had unpaid traffic violations. To pressure victims, the messages warned that failure to pay within 24 hours would result in the case being sent to traffic court. The link in the message did not lead to the official police website but to a fake page that closely resembled the traffic ticket payment service on the Israeli government portal "gov.il."
ReasonLabs stated that citizens who entered their credit card information on the fraudulent site would have provided it directly to the criminals. The three websites used in the Israeli scam were registered and launched on the same day last September. Some of the scam messages were sent from phone numbers in India and Uruguay, despite the impersonation of Israeli authorities.
The cybersecurity company emphasized that official logos, familiar designs, and even the inclusion of "gov" in a web address do not guarantee a site's legitimacy. ReasonLabs recommends using their MOZO app to check suspicious messages, noting that it blocks over 7.5 million fraudulent attempts globally each month.
