Medical Practices in Las Vegas Beware of Vacation Cyber Scammers
Summer travel season is prime time for cybercriminals, and medical practices in Las Vegas are not immune. Vacation cyber scammers are targeting businesses with AI-generated phishing emails, posing a significant cybersecurity threat. As costs for everything from food to travel continue to increase, the logical step for many is to search for the best deals online to book a memorable trip without breaking the budget. Cybercriminals have decided to capitalize on this need and are now using one scarily convincing, AI-generated phishing e-mail that can cost victims way more than their vacation fund.
How Cyber Scammers Operate
According to Booking.com, there has been a 500% to 900% increase in travel-related scams over the past 18 months using this malicious tactic. Phishing e-mails have existed since the dawn of the Internet, but AI tools like ChatGPT are making it increasingly easy to create realistic and professional scam e-mails that are more likely to trick readers. In the past, phishing e-mails were riddled with red flags such as spelling and grammatical errors. With the rise of AI, it’s easier for cybercriminals to pump out dozens of seemingly legitimate e-mails that often go undetected by software and readers.
Scammers will use sites like Booking.com or Airbnb.com that allow people to list their places as short-term rentals. The scammers send out e-mails offering incredible rates or time-sensitive deals on nonexistent properties. After someone pays, the cybercriminals will either disappear with the money, leaving the renter without a place to stay, or use follow-up e-mails to collect additional “fees” or “charges” before vanishing.
Why Scammers Are Doing This
Why would a hacker fake a data breach? There are several reasons, beyond reaping the same benefits without the work of hacking a network’s security system:
- Creating Distractions: One of the best ways to get a company to let down its defenses is to focus on something else, like finding a breach in its system. The company will be so intent on finding where a hacker was already able to get into its network that it will likely miss an attack from a different angle.
- Bolstering Their Reputation: Reputation is highly valued within the hacker community. Targeting a well-known brand publicly is a way for them to earn notoriety and get noticed by other hacker groups.
- Manipulating Stock Prices: For publicly traded companies, a data breach can cause a rapid 3% to 5% (or more) drop in the stock. This can cause widespread panic, allowing cybercriminals to manipulate stocks for financial gain.
- Learning Security Systems: Faking a data breach can allow cybercriminals to gain insight into the company’s security processes to prevent, detect and resolve attacks. Knowing threat response time and security capabilities can help them fine-tune their attack strategy.
The Impact on Medical Practices
For medical practices, the implications of falling victim to such scams can be severe. By the time the public is made aware that the information is fake, the damage is already done. For example, in September 2023, Sony was targeted by a ransomware group that announced it had breached the company’s network and acquired its data. The breach was all over the news, where reporters repeatedly dragged Sony’s brand through the dirt, and by the time the investigation concluded that the hacker’s claim was false, irreparable damage had been done to their name.
Protecting Your Practice from Vacation Cyber Scammers
Vacationers can take several key steps to ensure they’re not being duped. However, for medical practices, it is crucial to have robust cybersecurity measures in place. Here are some steps to follow:
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Adding a second layer of security helps prevent unauthorized access. Ensure that your practice’s systems require a confirmation code sent to your phone every time you log in, which will help prevent phishing attacks and credential theft.
- Avoid Clicking Email Links: Instead of clicking on email links, visit websites directly to verify deals. If you receive an e-mail promoting a too-good-to-be-true deal, remember, it is likely too good to be true! Go to the website and search for the special. If you can’t find it, there is a chance you will avoid a scam.
- Verify Listings: Before booking any property online, make sure contact information and reviews are readily available. Have other verified users stayed at the property? If so, it’s less likely to be a scam.
- Use Credit Cards: Using debit cards that are linked directly to your bank account is dangerous. When theft occurs from your debit card, it is difficult to get your money back – if you get it back at all. Using a credit card provides an additional layer of protection.
Stay Vigilant
The most important thing is to stay vigilant. Analyze every e-mail offer you receive and follow cybersecurity best practices. Standard security software can help detect some of these scam e-mails, but often not all of them, so it’s important to be cautious and look for red flags.
Personal scams may ruin a vacation, but business breaches can cost you and your family their livelihood. To keep your network secure, call us at 702-723-4772 or click here to book a FREE 10-minute discovery call with our cybersecurity experts, who can help you create a plan that protects you. We are here to help! Enjoy a well-deserved break this summer, and remember to be cybersmart.