In Ukraine, fraudulent chatbots are being developed that disguise themselves as state and volunteer services. The main goal of these activities is either to obtain critical information or simply to steal your personal data or money.
Detecting and blocking these dangerous resources is no easy task. The cyber police are working on this, but as soon as one page is removed, another appears in its place.
The chatbot "Enemy," which allows users to report military movements, has six clones. Meanwhile, the "Ukrzaliznytsia" chatbot, used for purchasing tickets, has at least five counterfeits. Some of these bots may not function, leading to unfortunate incidents in urgent situations. All these fake bots are uncontrolled, and their authors can modify them at any time to steal your funds.
How can you identify a fake bot?
Here are some signs that may help:
● They look very similar to legitimate bots but have one extra letter in the name or link.
● They lack an official verification badge or have a counterfeit version, such as an emoji.
● Responses may come in Russian or the menu may be in Russian.
● Some of them may not work, leading users to believe that state services are unreliable.
To verify whether a bot is genuine, you can use the "Bot Checker" tool on the Dovidka.info website.
What is the Bot Checker and how does it help?
This is a database of verified Ukrainian chatbots developed by specialists from the Center for Strategic Communications in collaboration with the cyber police and other state institutions.
"In the three years since its launch, over 100,000 people have used the bot checker. We created it in 2022 when various government agencies began actively creating chatbots. The Russians also started copying these services. Our bot checker is a convenient tool for detecting fake bots, helping people avoid falling victim to fraud. It’s crucial to pay attention to these risks and educate others on how to protect their data," said Mykola Balaban, Deputy Head of the Center for Strategic Communications.
How to use the Bot Checker?
- Enter the name or link of the chatbot in the search field.
- Receive information about its authenticity and the number of fake clones.
- If the bot is not in the database and seems suspicious, report it to the cyber police via the @stopdrugsbot chatbot.
Be cautious! Don’t let the enemy deceive you and gain access to your data!
