The Guardia Civil has issued an important alert about a new type of fraud that is circulating. Thousands of people are receiving fraudulent text messages and emails that appear to be from the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT). These communications falsely report alleged traffic offences and request immediate payment to resolve them. The National Cybersecurity Institute (Incibe) explains that the attackers use these messages to redirect victims to a fake website.
The email received is identified with the subject line: ‘Notification of Fine for Illegal Parking – Payment required’, and it provides a link for the alleged payment of an outstanding traffic fine via the ‘Pay the Fine’ button. When the button link is clicked, the user is directed to a fraudulent website that mimics the appearance of the official DGT website, presenting the option to ‘Pay the fine’. The page then asks the user to enter personal information and, when ‘Continue’ is clicked, directs the victim to the following form requesting credit card details.
Next, the credit card details are requested and, once the supposed data authentication has been completed, a code received by SMS is requested, which will never be received on the phone. Finally, the card’s PIN code is requested and, once entered, the page redirects to the legitimate DGT website to avoid suspicion. Incibe advises avoiding clicking on links in these messages and reporting any incidents to the Incibe mailbox. In addition, the sender should be blocked to prevent future contact and these messages should be deleted from both your email and mobile phone.
If you have shared personal or banking details, it is essential to contact your bank immediately: banks can advise victims on the steps to take to protect their accounts and mitigate any potential damage. Incibe recommends saving all possible evidence of the fraud (such as screenshots of the messages and links received) and regularly performing egosurfing to check whether your personal details have been leaked online. Furthermore, it is essential to file a formal complaint with the State Security Forces.
Providing all the evidence gathered will help the authorities to carry out more effective investigations. It is important to remember that the DGT only communicates penalties by post or by publication on the official notice board if it cannot locate the offender at their home address. Electronic notifications can also be received via the Electronic Road Directorate (DEV). Given the increasing sophistication of cyber fraud, staying informed is the best weapon for protecting yourself.
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