14 DAY TRIAL // Since the early days of online scams, threat actors repeatedly impersonated PayPal and they are not giving up yet, as a new scam involving the payment platform has been discovered, according to Cyware.
It all starts with a seemingly legitimate email from the threat actor with the subject of starting a live chat about a service alert relating to the target's PayPal account. The email body is very well designed and looks very similar to the emails received from PayPal. The only flaw and indicator that something is fishy is the email address that obviously has nothing to do with PayPal.
Despite the fact that several links in the email's body are also found in authentic emails, there is a URL added by the scammer that directs the victim to a false live chat that uses automated scripts. The hacker's objective is to obtain sensitive information from his victims, such as credit card numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, and even physical addresses.
Cybercriminals are employing more fresh and ingenious scam approaches
Credential phishing attempts are showing an increase in sophistication by using unconventional approaches, such as counterfeit login or Forms sites. It is impossible for the recipient to establish the authenticity of the email until after it has been properly checked.
Following the trends, a second creative phishing attack targeting Microsoft applications was unveiled. A security intelligence team from Microsoft notified both Office 365 administrators and users to be on the lookout for a phishing campaign that is still in the works. The threat actors use the WeTransfer file-sharing service to mimic customers, while Microsoft Excel-themed phishing emails lure victims with fake emails that appear to be from the company.
One of the most effective strategies to protect against phishing is to detect email attacks that target a company or individual via special filters. In particular, when threat actors penetrate secure email gateways, it is necessary to block their access to critical resources. Furthermore, it is highly recommended to verify the sender's address, links, headers, and domain name in the body of the email.