Bizum has established itself in recent months as one of the most important mobile payment applications . Its appeal lies in its ease of use and the speed at which money is transferred. It is so famous that most major banks have already implemented the Bizum service . Here are some cases of Bizum scams , and how to avoid the risks involved in using this system.

And I know that if we talk about payment platforms, Bizum has become the most used and popular in Spanish territory. Through this service we can streamline payments easily, as well as receive money in our bank account. However, being so popular, it is not uncommon for cybercriminals to be on the lookout to do their thing.

Regardless of the entity from which you made the transaction, the money will arrive instantly through Bizum. In fact, it is integrated directly into the mobile apps of banks, and serves as an efficient alternative to transfers. In any case, Bizum does not get rid of different scams. The ideal thing to do when using this app is to be careful not to be deceived. Let’s see.

Scams at Bizum: How They Work

Generally, scammers use social engineering and information that you post on your social networks. They look for specific victims with data obtained on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Google. This type of fraud, which combines telephone and Internet, is known as vishing. With this method they can scam up to more than 300 euros. But what are the most famous scams and how are they carried out?

1. The Social Security scam

Criminals, with all the information obtained through social networks, pose as Social Security officials . These cybercriminals are aware of the members of the families of their victims, they even know the age of each one. There are many excuses why they contact users, all with the purpose of deceiving them with an alleged refund of money.

The scam begins with a simple call from officials of the General Treasury of Social Security to its victims. Sometimes they offer the return of fees for the schooling of children , as an aid from the state in the face of the crisis caused by COVID-19.

Once the victim is convinced to receive the fake help, they send him a notification through the Bizum service. The sender of the message has the initials TGSS, and a validation code appears in it to be signed.

If the person does not realize it, the request received is for a collection request . The scammers get the code, associate the victim’s card with a Bizum account, and then send the money.

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2. The shipping scam that is a charge

It should be clarified that, although the application reports the completion of a transaction, specifying whether it is a request or sending money, the victim is sometimes not sufficiently aware of this and believes that he will receive money, thus accepting without hesitation . The reality is that there is a charge to the account, so money is sent to the scammer. For this reason, the Bizum app itself emphasizes the importance of reviewing these indications.

It is usually very common on product sales platforms. The seller is asked the possibility of making the payment by Bizum, and then agree to delivery. If the message that appears on the screen is detailed, it will be seen that a minus appears before the amount of money . If so, it is about sending money. It is recommended that you always read carefully to avoid falling for this scam.

3. Bizum scam of 500 euros

Recently, the National Police has announced a new scam through Bizum. On this occasion, he is tricked into stealing 500 euros. The victim is notified that he has won a prize worth 500 euros, but to collect it it is necessary to pay a commission.

Everything indicates that the victim will receive the money. However, by clicking on the pay button, 500 euros will be sent to the scammer . Although it seems that you are only sending a few cents, when checking the account balance, you will see a higher amount. The National Police has alerted the public to this scam through its official Twitter account.

4. False buyer interested in a product

Generally, this scam is aimed at sellers of different Internet platforms. In this case, a potential customer contacts a victim to purchase a product . They will show a bit of a rush in the process, offering to pay through Bizum. Feeling confident with their client, the victim will not verify the request, believing that it is an income, when in reality what they are doing is sending money to the scammer.

The Bank of Spain is aware of this modus operandi, advising that it is important to carefully read the messages we receive . Only in this way will it be possible to prevent scammers from succeeding in their task.

5. Selling products at a relatively low price

Unlike the interested buyer, in this case we are dealing with a seller who offers articles with a fairly low price in relation to the market. The victim will consider it an attractive offer, so he will proceed with his purchase. The scammer’s attitude will focus on receiving payment before shipping the product . Or at least request a part of it to reduce suspicions.

Payment will be requested through Bizum. And once done, the victim and the scammer will no longer be in contact, and no product will be shipped.

6. Bizum for people in ERTE

For this occasion, scammers seek to deceive a specific group of the Spanish population. Here are those interested in receiving social security benefits, as well as people in ERTE . This form of scam is not new, and it continues to occur fairly regularly. The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations has already warned about the way in which this deception works, with the aim of reducing scams.

The victim will receive a message or call, where he will supposedly be in contact with an agent of a public body. You will be informed that you are the beneficiary of a benefit , which will be paid through Bizum.

When you receive the request, it is actually a payment to be made, so if the person does not detail the message well, they will be sending money instead of receiving. It has already been reported that public bodies do not work in this way, so everyone should be attentive to these messages.

7. Bizum scam using WhatsApp

For this occasion, the modus operandi is linked to the use of WhatsApp to get victims. It is an exclusive method of hackers, where they intervene a person’s contact list . In the process, they select an acquaintance on WhatsApp to notify in a chat that they accidentally made a payment worth 50 euros through Bizum.

Being a person who appears among the contacts creates trust, so the victim thinks that he is returning the money when in fact he is being scammed.

Tricks to steal money using Bizum have been on the rise. And although the platform is always looking for new ways to prevent this from happening, in 2021 it is still a difficult task to achieve. With which, many organizations seek to alert the population and reduce the number of scams. And you, have you been the victim of a scam with Bizum? Tell us in the comments section.

How can I cancel a Bizum

The easiest solution is to contact the person to whom you have sent the money to return it. All that remains is to trust the good faith of the recipient, since it is the person who decides whether to make the return.

Bizum has no option to cancel a submission to the wrong contact as explained on their blog. From the same application, the option of requesting the return of the operation to the beneficiary is allowed.

You can also check with your bank for guidance on how you can make a claim. It is recommended that you select the recipient of the Bizum from the contact list of your mobile to avoid errors. In case of scams, there is always a trail to follow and the details of the person of the scammer will be available. This means that it can be captured at any time.

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