Scammers seize the opportunity of Mother's Day: Fake gift card trap

As Mother's Day approaches, a significant increase in cyber fraud activities has been observed. In recent days, a fake campaign spreading by imitating the logo and corporate identity of one of Turkey's leading coffee brands has targeted numerous citizens with the promise of winning a "50,000 TL gift card." Users who click on links shared via messaging applications, primarily WhatsApp, and social media have put their own information at risk.

Campaigns prepared by scammers using specific themes for special occasions like Mother's Day have victimized many people in the past. This time, users were directed to share their personal data on fake platforms that closely resemble the real website in the hope of winning a prize.

In the campaign message, the user is first asked to click on a link sent via WhatsApp. Then, on the page that opens, the user is required to answer casual questions such as "how many coffees have you had?" In the next step, they are asked to select one of nine boxes. After the user is led to believe they have won a prize, they are required to send the link to other people and WhatsApp groups. In the final stage, detailed data is extracted from the victims by collecting personal information such as phone numbers, addresses, and similar details.

Experts emphasize that such phishing methods not only endanger individuals' personal information but also cause devices to become vulnerable to cyberattacks. IP addresses can be obtained from the devices of those who enter malicious websites, and cyber threats can increase in the subsequent process.

Following the incident, which caused a stir in the public, the relevant coffee chain made an official statement clearly stating that they have no connection to such a campaign and issued an important warning. The statement included the following: "It has been determined that fake campaign content using the Kahve Dünyası brand and name has been circulating on social media and various digital platforms in recent days. Expressions such as 'earn money by filling out surveys' contained in the content in question have no connection with our company. As Kahve Dünyası, the security of our customers and the protection of their personal data are our top priority. Necessary legal processes have been initiated against such fraud attempts, and efforts are underway to have the content removed. Our official campaigns and announcements are shared only through Kahve Dünyası's own website and verified social media accounts. We kindly request our consumers not to give credence to such suspicious content and not to share their personal information. We present this to the public's information."

News Source: 12punto