The Chamber of Executors has warned of a new phishing scam in which attackers pose as bailiffs. They are using a fake chamber website to defraud trusting customers of their money.
Internet fraudsters often send out emails that give the impression that they are from a trusted company, bank, office, or website. Using these messages, attackers try to lure sensitive information, such as bank accounts, into cyberspace. They then use this data to drain funds from the victim’s account.
A new phishing scam under the banner of the Chamber of Executors works in much the same way. But instead of unsolicited emails, the attackers use SMS messages, which have been spreading across the Czech Republic since Monday.
“The recipients of these actions are sent SMS messages informing them of a fictitious foreclosure with the information that the recipient can look up the debt on the fraudulent website ekcr.org/search. This page imitates the appearance of the official website www.ekcr.cz and links to its items to increase the visitor’s trust,” warned Eva Rajlichová, spokesperson for the Czech Chamber of Executors.
According to her, the page ekcr.org/search will display information about a fictitious debt and a fictitious execution after entering personal data, regardless of whether the data entered is existing or non-existent.
The fraudulent app then links to an option to pay the debt. If unsuspecting users do so, they will deprive themselves of money.
Do not respond to the message, do not click on the link
“The Executor’s Chamber of the Czech Republic would like to point out that the ekcr.org/search website does not belong to the Executor’s Chamber or any of the bailiffs. It is a fraudulent site, apparently created to extort funds from unsuspecting visitors. The site abuses personal data, probably for profiteering,” Rajlichová stated.
If people receive a fraudulent text message, they should not respond to it at all. In any case, they should not click on the attached link that leads to the fraudulent site.
“The Chamber of Executors of the Czech Republic has already contacted the responsible authorities on this matter. We recommend the victims contact the law enforcement authorities. The only official source of information on foreclosures is the Central Register of Foreclosures operated by the Executors’ Chamber of the Czech Republic at www.ceecr.cz,” the spokesperson concluded.