Trend Micro is tracking the trend in real time and found a 531% month-over-month increase in cloud storage scam attempts from September to October.
ATLANTA — Security experts are warning consumers about an increase in a popular scam that mimics legitimate cloud storage alerts to steal personal and financial information.
Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity company, reports a sharp rise in what’s commonly known as “cloud storage scams.” Criminals send texts or emails claiming a user’s phone or other device is running out of storage, urging them to upgrade immediately.
The message includes a link that directs victims to a fake website designed to resemble Apple, Google, or another trusted provider.
Once on the site, scammers attempt to collect sensitive data, including account credentials and payment details.
“Now, what they can do after that, besides taking your data, they may sell that information to other scammers down the road … they can offer up your account credentials, they can offer your credit card information to others who can then either attack you or do something else with that data,” said Jon Clay, vice president of threat intelligence at Trend Micro.
Clay said the company is tracking the trend in real time and found a 531% month-over-month increase in cloud storage scam attempts from September to October.
With artificial intelligence making scam messages increasingly convincing, experts advise consumers to exercise caution. Clay said the technological advances mean that traditional tell-tale signs of a scam, such as misspellings or poor grammar, are less common. So skepticism, he said, is your friend.
“Go to the site directly using your own resources, your own credentials,” Clay said. “Instead of clicking that link.”
There are apps available, he noted, including one from Trend Micro that can also scan emails and texts to block malicious attempts.
“The industry is using AI to combat the AI-generated content that the scammers are utilizing against you today,” he added.
They recommend going directly to your account through official apps or websites to verify any storage alert, rather than clicking on unsolicited texts or emails.
