Pre-trial detention was carried out in prison by the Turin Postal Police
An articulated investigation concerning financial crime and in particular computer fraud carried out with the "man in the middle" technique, one of the most advanced digital pitfalls, ends with the execution of a precautionary custody order in prison. they threaten the productive and entrepreneurial sectors of the national territory.
The operation carried out in recent days by the Postal and Communications Police Department of Turin represents the result of a significant investigative progression carried out in the field of cyber-crime committed to the completion of computer fraud aimed at money laundering; these criminal structures make use of both advanced computer skills and the bonds of silence existing between the members that direct the economic flows mostly towards foreign countries.
The facts in the present case related to a scam reported at the Postal Police Department of Naples in July 2019 by the administrator of a well-known Campania business group who, through an advanced social engineering activity, was induced to make a payment for almost 300.000 euros on a current account other than that of the legitimate creditor.
The managers intervened in the communications between the two companies, studying their corporate organization thoroughly and once the holders of the spending power had been identified, they implemented a change in the IBAN which proved to be critical for the hijacking of money; the sum was then further diverted to other accounts in the name of the so-called "mules" in order to conceal its origin and thus making the tracing back to the criminal matrix articulated.
The Turin Public Prosecutor's Office issued the related precautionary measures, the execution of which ended in recent days with the association of the last member of the group with the Turin Prison.
The case is emblematic of how cyber-crime systematically aims to attack productive actors, given the huge amount of profits that can be achieved through the BEC (Bussiness E-mail Compromise) attack, a trap in which to frequent are induced to fall.
For preventive and protection purposes, the following precautions should be taken:
- contact your partners directly by telephone, on the contacts already in your possession, if you notice discrepancies relating to the payment methods (IBAN change etc.);
- often change passwords and check if the default mail reception rules have been changed;
- protect the WIFI network using effective passwords - in this regard consult the advice listed at the following link www.commissariatodips.it/notizie/ article/sicati-password-efficaci/index.html
- activate "two-factor" identification for access to home banking services;
- pay attention in the use of smartphones, they make our life easier but do not allow us to see gross errors made by criminals that would be easily identifiable on a normal computer;
- always update the operating system;
- install an antivirus and antimalware;
- to sensitize and update the personnel responsible for the payment of commercial transactions by informing them of such “hacking” phenomena.
For more information on man in the middle fraud visit the link https://www.commissariatodips.it/notizie/articolo/attenzione-nuova-ondata-di-truffe-con-la-tecnica-del-man-in-the-middle/index.html