Email bombing: the new threat overwhelming Monegasque inboxes
Around four in ten internet users worldwide have already been victims of cybercrime on average © Cottonbro – Pexels
A new scam technique has arrived in the Principality: email bombing. The cyberattack aims to saturate email inboxes in order to trap victims more easily.
After phishing attempts and fake legal summons, TVMonaco is looking into a new scam. Email bombing, or mailbox bombing, involves flooding an inbox with hundreds or even thousands of unwanted messages within minutes. Cybercriminals sign their target up to multiple newsletters and online services, saturating the inbox and making legitimate security alerts invisible.
But the attack does not end there. Taking advantage of the confusion created, “an alleged IT technician contacts the victim by phone or email, posing as a member of technical support to correct a flaw in your system,” an expert interviewed by TVMonaco explained. The scammer then offers to install remote software to resolve the issue, thereby gaining access to the computer and enabling the theft of sensitive data.
Authorities remind the public of essential safety rules: never click on suspicious links, avoid entering your email address on dubious sites, do not share personal information over the phone and use two-factor authentication.
The threat adds to the many recent warnings about cyberattacks targeting Monegasque residents, in particular the telephone scams reported in recent months. In case of doubt, contact the cyber unit of the Public Security Department directly (cyber@gouv.mc).