The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has released a comprehensive cybersecurity warning regarding a cybercriminal collective known as the “Neanderthals.”
The alert specifically emphasizes the utilization of the Telekopye Telegram Bot by this group, which they employ to execute elaborate phishing schemes on a large scale. The Neanderthals, as they are identified, use the malicious Telegram bot to create sophisticated phishing websites, emails, and SMS messages. The PTA’s alert provides detailed information on the tactics employed by this cybercriminal group, including the recruitment of individuals referred to as “Mammoths” to carry out scams categorized as seller, buyer, or refund scenarios.
In the fraudulent seller scenario, Neanderthals masquerade as vendors, skillfully tricking Mammoths into buying items that don’t exist. On the flip side, buyer scams, adopt the role of purchasers to extract sensitive financial details from unsuspecting merchants. Furthermore, refund scams involve duping Mammoths into a second deceitful transaction by pretending to offer a refund. Through a thorough investigation, the PTA has connected the Telekopye activity to Classiscam, a scam-as-a-service program that has raked in a staggering $64.5 million in illegal profits since 2019.
The Neanderthals showcase a high degree of sophistication by employing tools like web scrapers, conducting market research, and delving into real estate scams to enhance their phishing schemes. Acknowledging the seriousness of the issue, the PTA has called upon users, government officials, and institutions to stay alert and adopt essential safeguards to avoid falling prey to these scams. The perpetrators, utilizing tools like VPNs, proxies, and TOR for anonymity, have shown a readiness to employ sophisticated methods to trick and defraud unsuspecting individuals.
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