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  3. How to Prevent Online Scam

How to Prevent Scams

The pandemic has made digital communication channels gain special prominence. Within this context, fraud and scam schemes are mushrooming in the form of fake profiles in social media that make phone calls, or send direct messages, messages through WhatsApp and other messaging apps, and deceptive emails intended to obtain personal and banking data.

Keep in mind that the BCRA will not contact

Tips to Protect Your Personal Data

In this context, the challenge is to protect your personal data by implementing good practices for social media, websites and digital platforms.

  1. Activate the two-factor authentication (“2FA”) in your social media accounts and WhatsApp or the digital platforms on which you are active. This tool is an additional security layer, which ensures that only the account user may access his/her social media accounts and digital platforms. For activating the 2FA, tap your account´s settings, and then “two-step authentication.”
  2. Do not disclose your personal data (such as username, password, PIN, social security code, token, National Identity Document (DNI) (original or copy), and photo) over the phone, by email, on social media or WhatsApp, or through text messages.
  3. Do not enter personal data on websites through links received by email. They may be fraudulent.
  4. Use strong passwords by combining capital letters, small letters and numbers. Passwords should be easy for you to remember and hard for others to guess. Do not use the same password for different apps, accounts, platforms, or sites.
  5. Read every email carefully. Check that email senders are genuine.
  6. Be careful with suspicious links and make sure you are on a legitimate website before signing in.
  7. Do not access apps, social media or personal accounts from public or others' computers.
  8. Do not use a public Wi-Fi network to access sites that require passwords.
  9. Keep your browsers, operating systems, and apps up to date (delete the ones you do not use).
  10. Take your time before doing anything. Scammers play on users’ fears, oversights or rush. #VosSosLaClave

How to Tell the Difference between a Real Profile and a Fake One in Social Media

- Legitimate profiles have an authenticity blue check mark.

- Generally, fake profiles only have very recent posts and a small number of followers.

Upon identifying a fake profile of the BCRA or other institution, you may report the account as spam directly through the app for potential fraud alerts.

Upon identifying a fake profile of the BCRA or other institution, you may report the account as spam directly through the app for potential fraud alerts.

The official profiles of the BCRA in digital platforms are:

Other Frequent Types of Fraud or Scam

What Is Phishing?

It is a scam in which an email purporting to be legitimate is sent to make a user open a link, fill in forms with personal data or download malware files. In this case, you should immediately delete it.

What Is Smishing?

It is a type of fraud through text messages or any messaging app that asks you to provide private information. Like in the case of phishing, you should immediately delete the message.

What is Spoofing?

It is the use of identity theft techniques that can apply, for example, to emails, websites, and IP addresses. Regardless of the type of spoofing involved, bad actors attempt to obtain personal information, spread malware or else cause some type of damage by pretending to be a trusted person, organization, or enterprise.

Cases Identified by the BCRA

- Since 2020, the BCRA has reported more than 30 fake profiles on Instagram and Twitter that have already been deleted.

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Since 2019, the BCRA has identified several phishing or smishing cases:

April 2021

Bank Security | Phishing Email Purporting to Be from the BCRA (III)

March 2021

Phishing Case | BCRA Recommendations

December 2020

Bank Security | Phishing Email Purporting to Be from the BCRA (II)

October 2020

Bank Security | Phishing Email Purporting to Be from the BCRA (I)

July 2019

Smishing Case | Fake Text Message or Chat Purporting to Be from the BCRA

Phishing Case | Fake Email Purporting to Be from the BCRA

How to Report a Scam or Fraud and What to Do if You Identify a Virtual Fraud or Trickery

You may contact the Specialized Cybercrime Unit (Unidad Fiscal Especializada en Ciberdelincuencia, UFECI).

Address: Sarmiento 663, 6th floor, Autonomous City of Buenos Aires

Phone: (+54 11) 5071-0040 / 0041

denunciasufeci@mpf.gov.ar

If you receive information or messages purporting to be from the BCRA, you may forward them to Online Support (ayudaenlinea@bcra.gob.ar).