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Halloween Scam! Stay Away From Dirty “Milka” Lynx
This nasty WhatsApp scam probably works according to the motto: What works once, we can try again straight away…
Milka is again the victim of a bad chain letter scam: After already around Easter Countless Links to a Fake Lottery Sent, many people cringe at the sight of their cell phones again. On Halloween, contests are doing the rounds again, such as with alleged sender Milka. And again with the aim of luring users to fake sites where they have to submit personal or worse – bank details.
Fodder for unsuspecting recipients: “Free Halloween gift basket from Milka, 5000 free gifts for you” or “Milka Halloween candy subsidy”. Sweets for free? For many people, this is an incentive to click on the links that look effortless in the message.
Note, you land on a fake website that looks deceptively similar to Milka. But there scammers try to get your data. And it can be dangerous! It cannot be ruled out that your smartphone has spy software installed and sensitive data falls into the wrong hands.
That’s why Milka warns on its actual website: “In various media, consumers are often notified of fake Milka sweepstakes! These are click baits that lead to sweepstakes. These actions are not our home. The Milka brand has no affiliation with these contests. They only serve the purpose of obtaining personal data to contact the participants later.”
Milka Warns Against Fake Sweepstakes on Its Website
Milka also points out that genuine contests can always be identified by sender Milka or Mondelez (a German-headquartered American food company in Bremen).
If the sender’s information isn’t identifiable or if important additions like partnership terms are missing, Milka says, the company advises against providing personal data.
Security experts warn
IT security experts from SITS Group (Wisbaden) explain what can happen if you click on the wrong link. Olaf Persche (CCO AV-Test Institute) on the build: “In the worst case, your device may be taken. This applies to all devices, such as PCs, but also to smartphones. If such a link is opened, So the attacker has access to everything – saved passwords, messages, pictures, documents. It can even be hidden on the device and e.g. b. banking password is entered.”
Pursche explains that sensitive data such as access or credit card data can be used for identity theft or credit card fraud – or simply resold.
Before each click, experts warn, it’s important to check the URL: If it doesn’t explicitly belong to Milka (or any other company), the click is not recommended.
However, if you’ve fallen for a counterfeit, SITS expert Persche recommends: “If it’s a company device, you should report the matter directly to the responsible IT department. They can then more accurately check that.” What is actually happening on the link. For personal use: If a password or credit card details have been entered, you should immediately block the card and/or change the password.
Another tip: Always be careful online if something must be free…
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