In August, 1,209 cases of fraud were recorded, and in December, 882. According to César Lugo, a cybersecurity expert, the most common frauds in Nuevo León are financial pyramids, extortions, false prizes, fake loans, sales of counterfeit products, and identity theft. Lugo mentions that there are increasingly sophisticated modalities, such as 'QRishing,' where criminals leave a QR code to deceive people.
Data Nuevo León statistics show that the year 2016 had the highest number of frauds since records began in January 2015. In 2024, 4,699 frauds were committed in the state, where criminals obtain personal and sensitive information from victims.
There are different types of fraud, such as 'smishing' via text messages to obtain personal or financial information, and 'phishing' where the identity of legitimate entities is impersonated to gain sensitive data. César Lugo warns about the ways to perpetrate a scam, such as through electronic transfers, money, P2P payment services, mobile applications, gift cards, and cryptocurrencies.
To avoid becoming a victim of scams, it is advised not to send money to strangers, not to provide personal information by phone, and to verify the authenticity of banks' phone numbers. Additionally, it is recommended to be cautious of alarming emails, offers that are too attractive, and to be alert for possible fraudulent messages.
In Nuevo León, there are 19,600 cases of hacking of digital devices registered annually, according to the Cyber Police. It is important to follow advice to protect oneself, such as being wary of free subscriptions that may contain malicious codes or fraudulent links that could lead to 'vishing,' 'QRishing,' or 'phishing' practices. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is a scam.
