IPYS denounced impersonation of media outlets

• The organization recalled that 14 similar cases were recorded between January and July 3, 2024. Main photo: iStock

The Press and Society Institute (IPYS) reported that between June and July, the identities of at least four media outlets were impersonated through messages sent on the WhatsApp messaging platform.

The organization said that As it is, Caroni Mail, Tane Tanae y NotiCode alerted Internet users that some hackers They tried to pass themselves off as members of their work teams.

Several people working in As it is IPYS Venezuela was told on July 3 that an unknown person, who pretended to be an employee of the Digitel operator, called a relative of a member of the newspaper, asked for a code and hacked his WhatsApp account.

Later, the person who allegedly impersonated As it is He used the logo of that media outlet as a profile photo on the hacked number and from that line he contacted third parties in the afternoon to try to sell them foreign currency.

Through its social media, the website warned about identity theft and recommended its users to ignore any message or call they receive from that number or any other that makes such requests.

On June 17, an unknown person using the logo of the Caroni Mail He called a reader of that newspaper on WhatsApp and told him that in order to remain in the news distribution group he had to send him a code of numbers that he was going to share with him. The user did not provide his data.

The alleged impostor identified himself as Carlos Salazar, but that name does not correspond to any member of the team at that outlet.

Following the incident, the newspaper alerted its users about the situation through its Instagram account and reiterated that these are its regular communication channels, along with its website and telephone numbers.

“We recommend ignoring phone calls requesting data on behalf of Caroni Mailto avoid scams and cyber fraud,” the statement said.

IPYS Venezuela expressed concern about the number of reports of identity theft in media outlets. According to the organization, between January and July 3, 2024, 14 cases of identity theft were recorded against news platforms and journalists, six of which were intended to defraud or steal personal information.

Media impersonations in 2023

The Press and Society Institute of Venezuela published on May 16 its annual report of Digital Rights 2023, with the name of Algorithms of silencewhich highlighted cases of manipulation of discourse on social networks, state disinformation, cyber threats, smear campaigns and structural failures.

In that study, IPYS reported that in 2023 there were a total of 27 cases of impersonation of media outlets and journalists.

“Identity theft was the most frequent violation in the digital environment during 2023. With 27 records, it was determined that 12 media outlets and four journalists were affected by this cyberattack that is characterized by being effective and dangerous, especially due to the knowledge that the perpetrators may have about their victims’ data,” the organization stated.
IPYS detailed that these events were recurrent mainly on WhatsApp and affected The Whistle, The National, Radio Fe y Alegría News, Digital News Network (RDN), Venezuela By The Minute, Caroni Mail, What’s happening in Venezuela, News and Point y Apure News.

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