Filenews 10 October 2023
The Cybercrime Sub-Directorate warns citizens that there is an increase in the phenomenon of account theft on Social Media and especially on Viber.
According to the police, various users receive a message from a familiar person on Viber, informing them that they will receive a code on his behalf and then reveal it to that person.
In essence, this code refers to the account of the recipient himself and not of the sender of the message who is already using the compromised account of another unsuspecting victim.
With this method they gain the trust of the recipient and as a result their own account is compromised.
The public is asked to be particularly careful in such messages and NOT to disclose codes received to any person.
Also, in order to prevent illegal access to online accounts (email, Facebook, Viber, etc.), you should:
1. enable two-factor authentication in the security settings
- check the devices from which you are logged into your accounts;
- check the personal information (email and phone number) you have entered on Facebook and Instagram and in case you do not have access to any of them delete it and also
- Change passwords at regular intervals using symbols, numbers, and letters. Use a separate password for each account.
On the website of the Cybercrime Subdivision, https://www.cyberalert.cy/&lang=2 be able to see relevant announcements on the subject, as well as information on how to upgrade the security settings of your accounts.
