INTERPOL Reveals How Cybercriminals Use Technology to Commit Financial Crimes

INTERPOL Reveals How Cybercriminals Use Technology to Commit Financial Crimes

Romance baiting scams are on the rise too, with cybercriminals using fake online profiles to build relationships and gain trust, before asking for money.

INTERPOL has launched a campaign to raise awareness on the growing threat of cyber and financial crimes against vulnerable individuals and organizations. The Think Twice campaign, which includes a series of short videos, focuses on five rising online threats: ransomware attacks, malware attacks, phishing, generative AI scams, and romance baiting.

These sophisticated scams have seen a significant increase in recent years, with ransomware attacks up by 70 percent, and malware attacks rising by over 30 percent in the past year alone, with some 20 percent of employees unknowingly running malware.

With phishing attacks evolving and becoming harder to detect, criminals are also exploiting technology. For example, they are using generative AI to create ultra-realistic human avatars, deceiving thousands worldwide through voice, image, and text manipulation.

Romance baiting scams are on the rise too, with cybercriminals using fake online profiles to build relationships and gain trust, before asking for money. Think Twice calls for vigilance in the digital world, emphasizing the importance of pausing for thought, promoting wise decisions, and empowering cybersecurity awareness.

INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said, “As the digital landscape continues to evolve, we see online fraud and scams growing in sophistication and scale, posing a threat to individuals and organizations alike. Cybersecurity is a joint responsibility and through proactive steps, we can help build a more secure, and safer, digital world for everyone.”

The two-week awareness campaign (3-19 December) will run primarily through social media channels. The campaign urges individuals to use in-person verification and to consider their interactions with digital content, especially when encountering suspicious links or information.

The objective is to empower users to make informed and careful choices online, reducing the risks associated with threats like phishing, malware, and online scams.

The checklist to mitigate risks includes:

making considered and rational choices, especially when dealing with unsolicited, unfamiliar, or suspicious links, emails, or messages

pausing to evaluate the authenticity and credibility of digital content before taking action

verifying identities through multiple channels and being cautious of requests, even from ‘familiar’ faces

implementing a cybersecurity culture in the workplace and providing guidance on issues and incidents for employees

being cautious when forming online relationships, especially when money is involved

staying informed on the increasingly advanced tactics used in cyber-enabled financial crimes, making detection significantly more challenging.

Think Twice highlights the top threats identified by INTERPOL, based on data from member countries, private-sector partners under the Gateway framework, national cybersecurity agencies and online information-sharing groups.  

The campaign is supported with funds from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, through Projects AFJOC and ASPJOC which aim to reinforce cybersecurity in Africa as well as in Asia and the South Pacific; and from the Government of Japan through Project Rescue, strengthening law enforcement capabilities across South and Southeast Asia against cyber-enabled fraud.

Courtesy: INTERPOL