Fake ads were posted on websites with the image of the opposition Comanditos

The ad invites Internet users to join a supposed WhatsApp group

The Comanditos Con Venezuela denounced on their official social networks the publication of false advertisements on web pages with the name of the command and the image of opposition leader María Corina Machado.

The ad invites people to join the Comanditos through WhatsApp by clicking on the image. However, the campaign command in support of candidate Edmundo González Urrutia clarified that the only official WhatsApp channel is the one that appears on the Comanditos website.

The command also explained that only users who have previously registered on the official website can access the WhatsApp channel.

In addition to denying any connection with the announcement, the Comanditos warned citizens not to fall into “traps” during the presidential campaign for the July 28 elections and to follow the official accounts of opposition spokesmen and teams.

Other fake ads with the image of the Comanditos

On June 28, the non-governmental organization (NGO) VE without Filter denounced a false campaign on social media that used the image of the Comanditos and the candidate González Urrutia.

The campaign directs users to a fake registration page, very similar to the one set up by the campaign command. Within the portal there is a Google form that requests personal data.

The operation seeks to identify, and possibly expose, citizens who sought to participate in the campaign in favor of Edmundo González Urrutia, promoted by Machado, for the elections of July 28,” the organization detailed.

VE without Filter explained that it is a campaign of phishinga fraud method through which cybercriminals obtain sensitive information from users such as passwords or banking details.

In addition to the creation of a fake website, the campaign also included posts on social media such as Twitter and WhatsApp messages that shared the malicious link. These accounts also appeared to be part of the Comanditos’ official networks, but it was verified that they have no link to the opposition campaign team.

What are Comanditos?

They denounced the publication of false advertisements on web pages with the image of the opposition Comanditos — Photo: Comanditos With Venezuela

The Comanditos are citizen participation structures linked to the Comando Con Venezuela, an initiative of opposition leader María Corina Machado.

These groups seek to provide leadership and active participation to citizens throughout the electoral process. They are also groups that publicly express their support for the candidacy of Edmundo González Urrutia on behalf of the Democratic Unitary Platform.

According to their social media accounts, the main objective of the Comanditos is to defend the right to vote and safeguard the opposition campaign. Users can register in these groups only through the official website comanditosvzla.com.