“Don’t click!” Spain's DGT warns of phishing scam and false fines

For the second time in less than one year, the Directorate-General for Traffic has been targeted by cybercriminals posing as the roads authority

RAQUEL MERINO

Monday, 24 January 2022, 16:22

The Directorate-General for Traffic in Spain has warned that any emails apparently sent by the roads authority about supposed fines are phishing fakes and that anyone who gets an email about fines should not open it but immediately delete it.

This is the second time in less than 12 months the DGT has been targeted by cybercriminals. In March 2021, it had to issue a similar warning about phishing emails that appear to be demanding the payment of a fine but in fact contain malware.

The current batch of phishing emails have the message: “Bloqueo del Vehiculo – Multa no pagada” and they appear to have been sent by the Ministry of Interior. Once opened, the user must click on a link to see the fine but what happens is that the link downloads malware onto the device.

The DGT’s recommendation is, “Do not click on any link, nor respond. Delete it. It's phishing." The DGT adds that it "never communicates fines by email, but always through a certified letter or, when this notification fails, through official bulletins, the municipal bulletin board or the Edictal Board of Traffic Sanctions (Testra) or in the Single Edictal Board (TEU).”

Users registered with the Electronic Address (DEV), an electronic mailbox to receive communications and notifications electronically with the same legal effects as the paper notification, should be aware that they will first receive an SMS alerting them to incoming messages and they will access DEV with their Digital Certificate.

Top 50

Reporta un error en esta noticia