See how to PROTECT yourself from the scam that empties bank accounts after cell phone INVASION

Currently, numerous scams proliferate on the internet, stealing millions of reais from Brazilians. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of occurrences has increased exponentially. After all, countless people have come to depend on their cell phones for work, shopping and banking. In recent weeks, the Federal Police has issued an alert about a cell phone hacking scam that literally empties bank accounts!

In the scam in question, the injured people are also oriented to install malicious programs, which bring great damage to the devices. In this complicated scenario, the public wants to know: how to protect themselves from this scam? And, even more importantly: how to avoid bank account theft? Therefore, we explain below everything you need to know about the scheme, according to information released by the PF.

Mobile Invasion Scam – Meet the “Phantom Hand” scam

In August 2022, the Federal Police issued an alert for a new type of scam that has already harmed thousands of people throughout Brazil. This move was called “Phantom Hand”. In this criminal action, victims witness the bank account being “emptied” in real time. In According to the Federal Police Superintendence, around 40,000 people may have already fallen for the coup.

See too: Learn how to protect yourself from the Pix SCAM

How does the Phantom Hand Strike happen?

According to Federal Police data, the Phantom Hand scam starts with a simple phone call. Criminals call the victim, and on the call, simulate recordings of telephone exchanges. When the victim answers the call, he is transferred to an “attendant” – who is actually one of the members of the gang.

From there, the criminals say that there was some kind of transaction, purchase or debit from the users’ bank account. Then the scammers ask for personal information from victims, and eventually send an email. This message includes a malicious program that, after being installed on cell phones, takes control of bank accounts.

See too: Learn how to protect yourself from the SCAM of fake boleto with bank names!

How to protect yourself from cell phone hack?

The main doubt of Brazilians is the following: how to protect themselves from the cell phone hack that has already injured more than 40,000 people. An essential tip is to always be suspicious of approaches that use the name of banking institutions. Therefore, whenever you receive a call from a banking institution, it is worth confirming the contact on the company’s official channels. In addition, it is important to adopt two-factor authentication for all banking operations. Be careful!