Identity theft: Tips for detecting a fake website

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence and its various applications for generating unique texts or images has helped cybercriminals impersonate companies and individuals to launch cyberattacks.

Identity theft is mainly used in phishing attacks, where the cybercriminal pretends to be someone the victim trusts to obtain passwords or sensitive information.

What is identity theft?

Impersonation refers to the act of a cybercriminal pretending to be a trusted entity or device with the aim of manipulating you into taking actions that benefit them and harm you.

Identity theft attacks often include a social engineering component, in which scammers psychologically manipulate their victims, taking advantage of human vulnerabilities such as fear, greed, or lack of technical knowledge.

Types of identity theft

Identity theft can take various forms, for example:

Email spoofing. It accounts for about 70% of all cyberattacks worldwide, making it one of the main types of impersonation. These attacks aim to obtain private information about the victim, such as passwords, banking credentials, or to carry out fraudulent actions.

IP spoofing. In this case, the attacker sends fraudulent messages from a fake IP address or a spoofed IP from another network.

Website spoofing. The main website has been replaced by a fraudulent one. When the user accesses the website, they believe they are on a legitimate site, but in reality, they are on a fraudulent one.

Face spoofing. With the rise of generative Artificial Intelligence, face spoofing has also increased. Deepfakes have become popular due to their accuracy in mimicking anyone's face.

How to prevent identity theft?

In general, preventing identity theft is a process similar to what you need to follow to avoid a cyberattack:

• Do not click on links or open attachments in emails unless you are 100% sure they are from a reliable sender.
  
  

• Do not respond to calls or emails from unknown sources.
  
  

• Use two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to the login process.
  
  

• Employ strong passwords for your online accounts.
  
  

• Keep the software on your devices updated. Software updates are the way software providers address vulnerabilities they have detected.

How can I know if I have been a victim of identity theft?

Look out for the following signs:

• Unauthorized bank transactions.
  
  

• Emails or messages from financial institutions or services indicating changes in your accounts or suspicious activity.
  
  

• Correspondence related to products or services you did not request or bills for debts you do not recognize.
  
  

• Notifications of password changes or logins from unknown locations.
  
  

• As preventive measures, we can practice egosurfing or activate Google alerts, which allows us to track our online activity and detect potential suspicious activities.

Qué hacer en caso de suplantación de identidad

Identity theft is a serious problem, but it has solutions. If you detect that your identity has been stolen, you can follow these steps:

• Change your passwords. Modify the passwords for any sites you believe have been accessed without your consent.
  
  

• Review your accounts periodically. This allows you to detect and respond to any unusual activity or unauthorized access to your accounts, helping you protect yourself from potential privacy breaches and identity theft.
  
  

• Report to the relevant platform. To do this, you should gather evidence, such as screenshots, emails, or other documents that prove your case. Once collected, you need to report the incident to the platform where your identity has been compromised so they can proceed with its removal. If you do not receive a response, you can contact the relevant authorities.

Identity theft poses a serious threat to anyone's security, and it can have reputational and economic consequences for the victim. It is important to be cautious of any emails, calls, or text messages that you are not completely sure are from a reliable source.