Imagine that a collaborator on your team contacts claiming to have received an email indicating the publication of some prohibited content on their Facebook page. Worrying, isn't it?
That's exactly what happened with several companies around the world on December 14th.
After a thorough investigation by Kaspersky, one of the largest security software companies, a sequence of evidence was gathered that indicated that those shipments, which until then seemed disconnected, were, in fact, part of a new scam on the network.
Read on and better understand what these phishing messages are and how the sophistication of these scams can reach your business!
What, after all, is phishing?
The first step in understanding Facebook's recent phishing case is to understand what this fraud is.
Briefly, we can say that phishing is a digital fraud technique in which criminals impersonate established brands to gain advantage and carry out scams. To do this, they usually use fake emails, messages, or websites that mimic legitimate pages of banks, online stores, or social networks, as was the case with Facebook.
In the case investigated by Kaspersky, the company used to create the security appearance was Meta for Business itself, responsible for Facebook.
What are really the threats behind phishing?
Let's suppose that someone from your internal team actually gets tricked by one of these phishing cases and clicks on a suspicious link or page. Do you have any idea what the possible impacts of this inattention action are?
Offenders may have the most diverse reasons for mimicking elements of a brand, ranging from the intention of obtaining restricted access, to brand impersonation, seeking to “hijack” the identity and credibility built by your business to increase the reach of these frauds.
In other words, a phishing communication that seems innocent at first glance can bring profound harm to your business, such as:
- Traffic diversion and organic conversions;
- Breach of trust with consumers and partners;
- Limitation of growth in the sector;
- Increased costs with image recovery and corrective actions;
- Legal actions and fines for actions committed by third parties.
What does this case reveal again?
Phishing cases aimed at companies are nothing new. But then, what caught the attention of the experts in this new scam? The answer is simple: this time, the scammers are working with a great fear of brands: the removal of content and the taking down of the account.
This emotional trigger aims to weaken brand trust, especially those that rely on social networks and online platforms to maintain their presence and business operations.
And it is this apparent urgency that leads the victim to act quickly, without questioning the legitimacy of the message.
And what to expect in 2025?
Year after year, technology continues to advance, bringing new possibilities and needs to the business universe. However, it's not just companies that win with these innovations: fraudsters are also constantly studying and searching for new ways to exploit the vulnerabilities of inattentive brands.
Proof of this are market expectations: according to Juniper Research, losses due to fraud are expected to reach $400 billion this year.
In other words, this new phishing scheme initiated on Facebook is not an exception, but rather, the beginning of a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. And it is for this reason that remaining attentive and prepared to take an active and not only reactive position in these cases is no longer an advantage: it is a basic position for companies that want to remain in the market.
Do you want to understand more about how to do this through armor marketing? Keep following the Branddi and always be informed about the world of digital brand protection!
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