15/03/2023
Scam Alert!
Please do share with all your friends.
I was looking for cleaning services and it pop up in my Facebook. Incredible pricing, $35 for 4 hours services and I messenger them for more details when I saw the ads.
Every thing look very genuine and a sales person with a Singapore company logo whatsapp me but is a Malaysia mobile number which looks pretty normal since the price is so low.
After some conversation on WhatsApp and calls , it seems we got a deal, cleaners are arranged.
Next is where something is not right. The guy claims there is a deposit of $5 and I can use Internet banking or credit card to pay it but need to install an apps.
Now the problem is the apps, being a software developer and a cyber security guy, I smell phishing attempts on the apps. The App is called Hustore. There are many of such Hustore which are specifically developed for each country.
I proceed to install with care, seeing the prompt to change the default messenging means this apps wants to control my sms, this is critical for 2 factor authentication.
Anyway, I decide to play around with the scammer guy, with all my installations done in my android emulator for development testing for new apps, thus, I managed to fool them to give me all about their modal of operation.
The Hustore app is developed like a normal e-commerce program there is shopping and appointments making in the system.
In order to pay, you will need to enter your credit card details, but it will show you unknown card type, making you try more then 1 cards. Next the scammer will tell you, you can use Internet banking, that is where most people lost their entire saving, it simulate the same banking sites and when you enter the information, it will say under maintenance, that will make some try other banking sites which are also fake.
For record :
I have also called the actual cleaning company in Singapore to alert them about the impersonation and scam and make a police report on this incident .
Here are some tell tale signs:
1. Price too good to be true? Then likely is will not be true.
2. There will be no local contact number in the ads, you can only contact thru messenger.
3. Apps needed to install for booking, why you need an apps when there are websites that can do it. They will insist you will need to install the apps, they will even whatsapp their latest version, apk will actually is the latest phishing app with 'bugs' removed.
4. The payment gateway looks like there is an url showing the genuine sites but you can't click to expand the full address. Simply because is a fake browser.
5. Any prompt to take over your messaging in an apps smells trouble.
6. The scammer will try to call you and say he is making a booking, he will tell you that you must authorise them and authorised means just to send message default to Hustore.
So what if you really fall Victim?
1. Uninstall the Hustore App immediately.
2. Block all your cards that you have entered into the fake site.
3. Change all your Internet banking pins and passwords.
4. Report to Police.
5. Stop all communication with the scammer.
Hope these information will help all of you.
Be careful else you will be the next Victim.
** TL;DR:
* Not everything is Safe Online, but not everything is Unreal too.
* Always double check with Official Web.
* Make sure Number is not Overseas Number. (Even Sg Number also got Chance fall victim…)
* Lastly, don’t panic, seek help immediately still can fix to Block Retrieval of Monies by Scammer
Credits to Simon Ng
