More Than 360 Fake Government and News Sites Target Users in Central Asia

Summary

F6 identified more than 360 fake sites targeting users in Uzbekistan, Belarus and Tajikistan with bogus payment and income offers, seeking personal details, passport scans and app installations. The campaign’s perpetrators and victim count are unknown.

Key points

• F6 researchers identified more than 360 fraudulent domains linked to the campaign.
• The sites target people in Uzbekistan, Belarus and Tajikistan with fake government assistance or passive-income offers.
• Some sites mimic regional news outlets and direct visitors to questionnaires.
• Scammers collect contact details and may follow up by phone, posing as personal managers to seek fees or more information.
• Some victims are told to install an app; F6 says it is malware that can give attackers device control and potentially enable theft from accounts.
• Scammers may also request passport scans, which could be used for fraud such as loans taken out in victims’ names.
• F6 has not identified the group behind the campaign, and the number of victims is unclear.

Vendors

Countries