Online scams have become a growing problem worldwide, where criminals seek to deceive people by taking advantage of their good faith and ignorance. They usually request low upfront payments, personal information, or banking details to later commit frauds such as identity theft or make unauthorized charges. Experts warn about the importance of not falling into these scams and offer a series of recommendations to avoid being a victim of online fraud, such as maintaining a critical attitude, not sharing personal information with strangers, and being wary of offers that are too good to be true.
In Mexico, there has been a noted need for the Government to strengthen legislation on cybersecurity to properly identify and sanction digital crimes. It is essential to have awareness campaigns to educate citizens on how to detect and prevent online fraud. The creation of a specialized unit on cybercrime is also suggested, along with promoting collaboration between the public and private sectors to detect suspicious activities and protect citizens.
On the other hand, there has been an increase in scams through digital platforms, where criminals falsely offer everything from scholarships and pensions to jobs abroad or investments in state programs, aiming to harm vulnerable people, such as the elderly. Experts recommend being cautious with these types of proposals and consulting institutions like Condusef before making any investments.
The modus operandi of online scammers usually involves creating fake profiles or websites that mimic recognized companies to gain the victims' trust. They use promising messages through social media, emails, or ads to attract people's attention with tempting offers. There have even been reports of the use of artificial intelligence to carry out more sophisticated scams, such as impersonating the image of public figures like President Claudia Sheinbaum to gain the public's trust.
In summary, it is crucial to stay alert and follow experts' recommendations to avoid falling into online fraud, as well as to promote greater awareness of cybersecurity in society to prevent such crimes.
