- Seven internet scam sites were closed during the month of April.
- These sites were detected during an active watch by the cyber group of the research section of the Metz gendarmerie.
- They used the phishing method, in connection with the coronavirus epidemic.
All used the phishing method, linked to the coronavirus epidemic. Seven internet scam sites were closed during the month of April, the national gendarmerie announced on Friday.
The seven sites were detected during an active watch by the cyber group of the research section (SR) of Metz, coordinated by the gendarmerie's center for combating digital crimes (C3N), as part of the crisis sanitary.
Obtain bank details
"These sites tried to collect personal data or passwords to obtain bank details", explained to AFP, Colonel Gérard Cligny, commander of the SR of Metz.
The sites were linked to the medical world, "offering an update of the vital card for payment" for example, or with the banking sector, "by imitating the syntax and typography of official sites", detailed Colonel Cligny .
Falsified declaration platform
One of them, who had falsified the employers' declaration platform for short-time working, generated blocked pages and offered to call a premium rate number to remedy the problem, he continued.
“The sites were detected early, for some a few hours after they opened. We were able to intervene before there were too many victims, even if potentially there were, ”said the gendarmerie officer.
The first investigations revealed "sites hosted in different places in France and abroad", according to him, but without being able to identify the authors.
"The crooks are taking advantage of the health crisis"
With the coronavirus epidemic, "it is important to adopt digital hygiene and barrier gestures to protect yourself", by being extra vigilant when receiving emails, because "scammers are extremely opportunistic and take advantage of the health crisis ”, warns Gérard Cligny.
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