Armenian specialist issues a warning regarding new targeted attacks through WhatsApp and Viber

YEREVAN, October 20. /ARKA/. Samvel Martirosyan, an expert in information security in Armenia, cautioned users about the emergence of new targeted attacks through WhatsApp and Viber.

"Individuals may reach out to you from a fraudulent WhatsApp or Viber account, impersonating someone you know and trust. This impersonator is well-prepared. They will claim that the National Security Service (NSS) has supposedly identified a significant issue, but your friend has allegedly defended you, and you merely need to cooperate with the NSS officer," Martirosyan stated on his Facebook page.

Subsequently, he explained, a Russian-speaking impersonator posing as an NSS officer will call the user, informing them that "millions of dollars have been transferred from Azerbaijan to your account" and that "this is part of a joint operation with Azerbaijan, and the evidence regarding this matter should be presented in court."

"They then involve the Central Bank, claiming that your funds need to be withdrawn and deposited into a new account to prevent them from being associated with 'tainted' money. As you can imagine, the funds will vanish," Martirosyan remarked.

He emphasized that, in the instances he is aware of, representatives of civil society and the media have been the targets. -0-