In the run-up to the annual income tax declaration period, fraudsters have become particularly inventive. Realizing that a significant portion of residents will be searching for access to the Electronic Declaration System (EDS) via Google, the perpetrators have ensured that fake pages appear at the top of the search results as advertisements, reports 360TV Ziņas.
The fraudsters' scheme is well thought out and technically clever. They use Google advertising tools to promote fake links above the official website of the State Revenue Service. Programmers and security specialists were surprised by the method of disguise — the fraudsters hide behind supposedly harmless online stores selling stylish clothing.
Programmer Elvis Strazdiņš explains that these pages offer products that allegedly meet the "ergonomic design standard," abbreviated as EDS. This phrase allows the fraudsters to advertise using the keywords "vid eds," and Google's algorithms do not block them, as the ads formally relate not to the state management system but to an invented design standard.
Experts remind that the most important thing is to carefully check the domain name of the website. This should be done by reading the address from right to left. Official addresses of government institutions should start with the extension "gov.lv." If the address looks like "vpn.gov.lv.cfd" or something similar, it should be understood that the first two levels in this case have no relation to the Latvian state and belong to a fraudulent platform. For safety, it is recommended not to click on links marked "Sponsored," "Advertisement," or "Ad" at all.
The most dangerous moment occurs during authentication. Elvis Strazdiņš emphasizes that when logging in, users are never asked for a PIN2 code. PIN1 is intended only for identity confirmation, that is, for logging into the system. PIN2, in turn, means signing documents or confirming payments. If a fake EDS site asks for PIN2 at the login stage, it means that the fraudsters are trying to apply for a loan in your name or empty your bank account at that very moment.
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