SOPHISTICATED SCAM TEXT messages circulating in Ireland are attempting to steal passwords and personal data through bogus package-tracking links.
The messages typically have a link which claims to contain details of a missed delivery. This link leads to what appears to be the company website but is, in fact, bogus.
The scam is believed to primarily target Android phones, but anyone with a smartphone is being warned to exercise caution.
Vodafone Ireland, Eir and Three have all warned customers about the so-called FluBot scam today, urging users to be cautious about any text messages they receive about a delivery which they are not expecting.
The National Cybersecurity Centre (NCSC) confirmed that it had received reports of “a spyware software labeled FluBot affecting Android users in Ireland”.
“FluBot is used by malicious parties to steal passwords and sensitive data from the victims’ mobile device. It will access victims’ contacts and spread the malicious application through further text messages”, the centre said.
The link in the text goes to a fake website, prompting the user to download two .apk files, which are banking trojans – malware designed to deceive. Users will then be asked to manually override and allow an untrusted app download.
If you receive such a message, don’t click on any links – if you are expecting a delivery, check its status through the website where you ordered it.
The NCSC said that if victims have downloaded the untrusted app, they should perform a factory reset on their device. If you don’t have backups, you will lose your data, but you should not restore anything installed after you downloaded the untrusted app.
Reset your passwords, and if you have an Android phone, ensure that Google Play Protect is switched on.
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