The National Police Launches Micropodcasts to Help Detect Common Cyber Scams

The National Police has launched an unprecedented campaign to swiftly tackle the cyber scams that most affect Spain. They are doing so with a series of micropodcasts, each lasting just a minute, narrated by the officers of the Central Cybercrime Unit, who clearly explain how the most common frauds operate—from phishing to digital skimming and the like scam—and what steps to take to avoid falling victim to them.

These audio clips will be distributed every Friday on WhatsApp, X, Facebook, and major podcast platforms to bolster public protection during one of the times of the year with the most online fraud attempts. The cyber experts' advice is aimed at all age groups, as no one is immune to becoming a potential victim of these cyber scams.

The scams and advice covered in the micropodcasts include, among others: the invoice change scam, the payroll change scam, the likes scam, the love scam, and others such as the child in distress scam. Additionally, other types of cyber fraud will be addressed, such as those related to telecommunications fraud, cryptocurrency investment, ransomware, and all matters related to these types of scams that can help citizens better protect themselves against cybercrime.

Coinciding with the start of the Black Friday commercial campaign, the first two micropodcasts are published: how to avoid digital skimming and phishing.

The first technique is used by cybercriminals to obtain bank card details when used in online stores. This method does not require physical access to the card and can be combined with other techniques such as phishing and typosquatting.

Combined with phishing, cyber scammers send potential victims a text message in which, among other modalities, they may impersonate parcel companies. In this cyber fraud, they warn that they have already unsuccessfully attempted to deliver the order placed by the potential victim, indicating that to confirm and arrange delivery, they must click on a web link.

Upon opening this link, the user is directed to a website, very similar in appearance to that of parcel companies, where they will be induced to enter their personal and even banking details to receive the order, thus allowing cybercriminals to seize all the data.

Through typosquatting, fraudsters create a website that mimics well-known commercial brands with an online presence, changing a letter in the URL of the fraudulent website with the intention that, if the user makes a slight mistake when typing the web address, the page created by the cybercriminals will appear, from where they will seize the victim's banking details while they believe they are making a purchase on the official website.

One of the most novel modalities used by cybercriminals, which will also be addressed in the dissemination of the micropodcasts, is known as the 'likes scam'. In this fraud, scammers offer easy money to their victims for liking or commenting on posts, then convince the victim to invest money with the promise of greater earnings.

Initially, they gain the trust of their targets by paying small amounts for these simple tasks. After receiving the first payment, the victims are added to a group chat with the person posting the tasks, other victims, and bots, which simulate being real users showing their earnings.

To perform tasks that yield more benefits, scammers ask for an economic investment and then disappear with the money, cutting off contact with the victims.

These are just some examples of the most common scams that will be addressed by the National Police's cyber agents and will be disseminated once a week through the accounts that the National Police has open on X, Facebook, and the WhatsApp channel. Additionally, as a novelty, these micropodcasts will be available on the most established podcast platforms in Spain, such as Spotify.

The Central Cybercrime Unit of the National Police celebrates this year the 30th anniversary of the creation, in 1995, of the first technological crime investigation group in Spain. That pioneering initiative marked the beginning of an unprecedented police specialty, designed to protect citizens against the new risks arising from the use of technology and the internet.

Since then, the National Police has accompanied the digital transformation of society, adapting to each new technological reality. In 2005, the Technological Investigation Brigade was established, consolidating the structure and operational capabilities in the field. Later, the specialty was reinforced with the creation of the Technological Investigation Unit, culminating in 2023 with the current Central Cybercrime Unit, comprising three main Brigades: Information Security, Computer Fraud, and Technological Investigation.

In turn, the Provincial Judicial Police Brigades also trained specialists in the field who joined the investigation groups that gradually emerged in all territorial divisions, forming what is today a powerful structure to combat cybercrime.

Thirty years later, these investigation groups represent the forefront of police investigation in the digital environment, symbolizing the National Police's commitment to innovation, security, and the trust of Spanish society.

In commemoration of its history, the so-called 'timeline' has been created, which His Majesty King Felipe VI visited this Tuesday. The aim of this museum installation is threefold. On one hand, it aims to pay historical tribute to the pioneers and the trajectory of the specialty. It also seeks to serve as a resource for cohesion and knowledge for new agents, illustrating the connection between technological evolution and police response. Lastly, it showcases the response capability and strategic vision of the National Police.