In Mexico City, the sale of illegal products and services is on the rise. From Chinese items such as scooters and vapes in Izazaga, to services that affect cybersecurity, such as social media hacks being offered in the Historic Center and online, priced between 400 and 2,000 pesos, most of which turn out to be scams.
During a tour conducted by Publimetro in the Historic Center of Mexico City, it was confirmed that people are offering to hack social media accounts, mainly WhatsApp and Facebook, for 500 pesos. It is enough to provide the phone number for the "workers" to access the account, allowing them to view messages and calls illegally.
In addition to social media hacking, USB drives with movies, music in mp3 and mp4, as well as unlimited streaming services for one thousand pesos, providing access to platforms such as Sky, Dish, HBO Max, among others, are also offered on Eje Central.
These illegal services are promoted openly, even in the presence of the Secretary of Citizen Security, which cleared the streets of informal vendors in Avenida Juárez, Bellas Artes Palace, and Alameda Central in December 2024.
The hackers operating on Eje Central and on Facebook offer to compromise data on social media, clone WhatsApp accounts, manipulate grades, access bank accounts, among other illicit services. To protect against these practices, the SSC recommends measures such as activating two-step verification on WhatsApp and regularly updating applications.
In the event of being a victim of hacking, the loss of personal data and the threat to privacy are common consequences, along with the disclosure of sensitive information, identity theft, abuse of the compromised account, and reputational damage. The Cyber Police advises users to adopt protective measures, such as avoiding sharing sensitive information and regularly updating their applications.
