The number of cyber frauds that involve business entities that import goods and raw materials has increased in Moldova, IPN reports, with reference to a warning issued by the Center for Combating Cyber Crime of the National Investigations Inspectorate.

Hackers infect the information systems of companies with malware and launch phishing campaigns and consequently obtain passwords to email accounts. Using these passwords, they illegally access and actively monitor the electronic mailbox. The hackers can thus read the business correspondence with foreign factories and plants.

When accessing email messages by which the goods delivery and payment conditions are negotiated by Moldovan businesses and foreign companies, the hackers replace the copies of contracts for the provision of services and banking data that are contained in the invoices sent by foreign companies. Later they make Moldovan importers to transfer money to bank accounts specially opened by accomplices for the purpose.

The money transferred to the substituted accounts is immediately withdrawn by accomplices when it reaches the destination or is transferred through internet banking services and the money cannot thus be blocked.

To prevent such cases, the police recommend not visiting unknown websites, not accessing suspect links or files attached to email messages and not providing personal or business information through public networking sites. The employers are urged to train their employees to detect social engineering and phishing attempts through email, to permanently check the correctness of the used email address and to verify through different sources if the banking data were indeed changed.