Three years ago, one in four Europeans was affected by identity theft, now it is one in two. A data leak at Facebook has turned online theft of personal data into a mass phenomenon. Criminals scam millions every month with stolen data.
For example, they order digital goods like software and music at the expense of others. We used to receive a bogus order under a false identity once a week – now it’s several a day, which we almost always successfully block.
For example, anyone who has obtained information about you via the Facebook data leak knows your mobile phone number, one of your email addresses and all the other data you have uploaded to Facebook. Particularly brazen criminals may then call you and tell you that you have won something. All they have to do is collect your complete data and bank account details in order to pay out your winnings. The staff in some call centres do nothing but make such calls all day.
Do not give out any personal data outside of existing business relationships known to you! Because if you give the fraudster in the call centre your data, including your bank details, he will next have your telephone provider send a second SIM card to an address he controls. He then has all the data he needs to legitimise himself to the telecommunications company. He may have already hacked your email address and is secretly reading it, including receiving confirmation PINs.
Then he logs into your bank account, because he now intercepts your SMS and app confirmations from the bank. In this situation, he accesses your account and transfers your money to his account abroad.
Therefore: Be silent and guard your personal data!
If you think you may have been affected by the Facebook data leak, Google lawyers who are pursuing claims for damages against Facebook. You may be entitled to thousands of euros (or more) in compensation.
Above all, be careful!