Panama. The world's most used messaging platform, WhatsApp, is in the spotlight after the Cybercrime Division and the Public Prosecutor's Office launched investigations into account hacks and a fake chain message alerting to alleged mobility restrictions and year-end security recommendations.
Regarding the hacking cases, authorities apprehended four individuals in various parts of La Chorrera district (West Panama): three Panamanian men and one Colombian woman. By assuming the victims' identities, the scammers requested money from the victims' contacts, who, believing they were dealing with a known person or relative, sent the money via bank transfer, which has allowed for the tracking of the funds.
On the other hand, authorities have also alerted about a fake chain message distributed through WhatsApp, which talks about mobility restrictions and year-end security recommendations.
Upon learning of the existence of this fake chain, the National Police is requesting the general public to "avoid sharing this information and to use the communication channels of official entities." The preliminary investigation of this case, which has already caused a financial damage of about seven thousand dollars, establishes that the criminal group used the phishing technique; that is, they sent users of the platform links, and once they opened them, they took over their accounts.
Some key points that identify a fake chain are: the absence of an official source, the use of alarming and generic language, as well as the supply of unverifiable recommendations. Authorities recommend that before sharing a chain, the source be verified, the text be read in full, the author be sought, links be distrusted, and the message be searched for on the internet.
