BEIJING: Phishing scam messages fabricating traffic violations have left many drivers in China trapped and caused economic losses, the Worker’s Daily reported on Friday.
Recently, a man surnamed Zhang in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, received a message indicating he had unresolved traffic violations. Zhang clicked the link included in the message to see more details. The link directed Zhang to a “Traffic Violation Inquiry Platform,” which appeared legitimate and trustworthy, with an official-looking layout. Zhang proceeded to enter his personal information, including banking details and a received mobile verification code. After completing the required information, the website informed Zhang that he needed to wait for two or three minutes to access the results. Growing impatient, he exited the page. Shortly thereafter, Zhang received a notification from his bank stating that 8,500 yuan ($1,160) had been deducted from his account.
It turned out that the platform was a scamming website to lure victims into inputting their personal information. Some scamming websites even require victims to download an APP, which might contain a Trojan virus to steal money from the victim without raising alarms, said the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau on its official account.
All drivers should stay vigilant and cautious when receiving these kinds of messages requesting personal or financial information, reminded the public security bureau in its post, adding that the official traffic violation messages contain a detailed description of the traffic violation with information about where and when the violation happened. There is also no link or APP download requirement in these messages.
When receiving messages or phone calls from strangers, it is vital to verify the content before sharing any sensitive details. When receiving suspected phishing messages, do not input personal information or click any links. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
