Marketplace fraud is nothing new. Cybercriminals swindle money out of buyers and sellers alike. Lately, we’ve seen a proliferation of cybergangs operating under the Fraud-as-a-Service model and specializing in tricking users of online marketplaces, in particular, message boards. Criminals are forever inventing new schemes for stealing personal data and funds, which are then quickly distributed to other scammers through automation and the sale of phishing tools. This article explores how these cybergangs operate, how they find and fool victims, with a special look at a campaign targeting users of several European message boards.
Ways to deceive message board users
There are two main types of message board scams.
The first one is when a scammer impersonates the seller and offers to ship an item to the buyer. When the buyer inquires about the terms of delivery and method of payment, the scammer (in the role of the seller) asks for the buyer’s full name, address and phone number, and for online payment. If the victim agrees, they are sent a phishing link to pay for the order (in a third-party messenger or in a dialog box on the message board itself, if the site does not block such links). As soon as the user enters their card details on the fake site, they go straight to the fraudster, who debits the available balance.
This type of fraud is known as scam 1.0 or a buyer scam, because the attacker poses as the seller to deceive the buyer. It is considered outdated as most message board users are aware of it. Besides, the method involves waiting around for a buyer to take an interest in the item on offer.
Alternatively, the scammer can pose as the buyer and deceive the seller by pers ..
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