A phishing campaign featuring a pseudo-hitman is rampant right now. Many Internet users receive an email asking them for a large sum of money in exchange for saving their lives. Do not panic !
“A client asked me to kill you”. Perhaps you have received an email of this kind, which is alarming to say the least, sent by a contract killer who calls himself “the angel of death”, “Kill” or even “Angel of the Death”? Don’t panic, no one is about to come and assassinate you in your sleep, it’s just a phishing attempt, to say the least original, intended to extract money from you. So of course, it’s less credible than a Navigo Pass or fake parcel scam, but, as they say, the bigger it is, the better it goes! The cybermalveillance.gouv.fr site, set up by the Ministry of the Interior, alerts in a statement on a campaign that began in May 2023 and has grown. In his e-mail, the pseudo-hitman indicates to have precise information on your habits, your schedules or your routes. He offers, in exchange for a large sum of money, to cancel the contract that hangs over your head and reveal the name of the person who ordered it. An offer that cannot be refused!
Hitman scam: a daring scam to say the least
Each time, the modus operandi is the same and is based on a classic technique of social engineering, taking advantage of fear, which clouds the judgment of the victim. The individual explains perform “all kinds of services – including destruction of property and injury” and being hired to kill you. It specifies having access to all your contact details, your movements, your routes, your schedules, etc. In his immense kindness, however, he offers to put an end to his mission and reveal the identity of his sponsor, as well as the reasons which led him to call on his services. All for a fee of course. It awaits your response within 48 hours, otherwise it will “execute” its mission.
If you receive this message, the Home Office recommends that you do not panic, do not respond, do not pay, and report the scam immediately. “This impersonal message was sent to thousands of people whose email addresses could be found on the Internet. You should never reply to this type of message, at the risk of showing cybercriminals that you are wearing it. interest, which would encourage them to continue to annoy you”can we read on Cybersurveillance website.
If you are ever the target of an online scam, immediately forward the message to Spam flag or at Pharos. You can also report these fraudulent e-mails to the site internet-signalement.gouv.fr. Then block the sender to stop being bothered. If you have ever fallen into the trap, contact your bank immediately and keep the proof of the exchange of emails as well as of the payment. You can also file a complaint and contact the Info Scams platform to help you with the necessary procedures.