Vivo Fake Invoice Scam: see how to protect yourself

Another coup by e-mail, it abuses the slightest carelessness of citizens to steal bank details and money. It's about the new fake invoice scam by Vivo, in which criminals even use the company's visual identity to deceive the unsuspecting.

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How does the scam work?

The method for this scam is relatively old, but it contains some new elements. In this case, the fishing technique is used, in which mass emails are sent to thousands of people.

In this way, criminals hope that someone does not have enough attention and clicks to download an alleged Vivo invoice. However, accessing the link ensures that the Malware Grandoreiro is installed, which steals the victim's bank details.

In addition, the emails arrive with messages in an urgent tone, with the due date of the false invoice for the same day of sending. So, many end up clicking on the link for fear of increased interest.

In this case, the first click is enough for the Malware to be able to enter the cell phone and steal passwords and information, especially from bank applications. Therefore, one must be careful to prevent fraud like this from happening.

How to protect your data?

In times of so many scams, it is essential that there is a careful look at the handling of personal data. Therefore, we have separated some precious and simple tips that will be enough to prevent scams like this:

• Check incoming emails for signs of fraud. For example, look for errors in Portuguese and see if the address is compatible with the company that presents itself;
• Do not access unknown links before verifying the previous data and do not download any files;
• If in doubt, contact the referred company. But be careful, do not answer the email, but call the official channels on the website;
• Install double-check features on your cell phone, such as passwords on banking and messenger apps. This will make it difficult to access those apps that are the focus of most scams.