The FBI Denver Field Office is warning that agents are increasingly seeing a scam involving free online document converter tools, and we want to encourage victims to report instances of this scam.
In this scenario, criminals use free online document converter tools to load malware onto victims’ computers, leading to incidents such as ransomware.
“The best way to thwart these fraudsters is to educate people so they don’t fall victim to these fraudsters in the first place,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “If you or someone you know has been affected by this scheme, we encourage you to make a report and take actions to protect your assets. Every day, we are working to hold these scammers accountable and provide victims with the resources they need.”
To conduct this scheme, cyber criminals across the globe are using any type of free document converter or downloader tool. This might be a website claiming to convert one type of file to another, such as a .doc file to a .pdf file. It might also claim to combine files, such as joining multiple .jpg files into one .pdf file. The suspect program might claim to be an MP3 or MP4 downloading tool.
These converters and downloading tools will do the task advertised, but the resulting file can contain hidden malware giving criminals access to the victim’s computer. The tools can also scrape the submitted files for:
- Personal identifying information, such as social security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, etc.)
- Banking information
- Cryptocurrency information (seed phrases, wallet addresses, etc.)
- Email addresses
- Passwords
Unfortunately, many victims don’t realize they have been infected by malware until it’s too late, and their computer is infected with ransomware or their identity has been stolen.
The original announcement can be found here.
