What would you do if you received an official email from the National Police summoning you to testify? You would probably feel a mix of surprise and worry. That is precisely what the scammers behind the latest phishing attack using the name and logo of the National Police are looking for.
The National Police has warned on social networks about a fake email that uses your image to try to deceive citizens. This fraud, known as “phishing”, seeks to steal personal data through malicious links included in the message. The institution has urged the population to ignore these emails and not click on the links.
This fraud aims to steal personal and financial data using social engineering tactics. How can we, as citizens, protect ourselves from falling into these digital traps?
Phishing fraud continues to grow in Spain
Phishing, one of the most common forms of cybercrime, involves tricking users into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers. In recent years, Spain has seen a significant increase in these attacks. According to a recent INCIBE report (National Cybersecurity Institute), more than 70% of cyber threats in the country are related to impersonation attempts of identity.
The particularity of this case is the use of the name and logo of a public institution. Attackers appeal to the respect and fear that people usually have towards authorities to increase the effectiveness of their scams.
The fraudulent message in this case read like this:
Dear citizen:
You are formally notified that you must appear at the Central Department of the National Police in Madrid on 12/20/2024, in relation to file number 912803688980/2024.
Important: Unjustified failure to appear at this summons may lead to the adoption of additional legal measures and the imposition of financial sanctions, in accordance with current regulations.
To access the complete documentation regarding this procedure, click on the following secure link:
[Acceder a la documentación de la Policía Nacional – Expediente 912803688980/2024].
The file includes all the details about the procedure and actions required below.
If you have any questions or need additional assistance, do not hesitate to contact our customer service department through official channels.
How to identify a fake email?
The National Police has issued clear recommendations to detect this type of fraud:
- Check the sender: Official emails use domains like “@policia.es”. If the domain is strange or generic, be wary.
- Be wary of links: Do not click on any link without first verifying it. You can hover over the link to see the actual URL.
- Errors in the message: Many of these emails contain grammatical or formatting errors, something unusual in official communications.
The role of social networks in raising awareness
Social networks have become a key tool for public institutions when reporting on cybercrime. In this case, the National Police has used Twitter to deny the false email and alert the population with the hashtag #NoPiques.
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