Panama Reports Scams and Frauds on WhatsApp and Computer Crimes
Online and phone fraud, computer hacker, thief man scam in social media. Cheating on internet, covert crime swindler, cybercrime, data hacking. Danger of stealing money, information. Vector
This was a warning, no more and no less, than from the Minister of Security, Frank Ábrego……“In recent days, the number 6429-7237 has been impersonating me, requesting money or information… I ask everyone to be careful and report to 104.” The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) also issued an alert. They indicated that a fake WhatsApp number was being attributed to Minister Felipe Chapman. “We ask the population to be cautious and verify the authenticity of the numbers before interacting. For any questions or queries, please use the official channels of the MEF,” said the official statement from the agency. These cases highlight the increase in the number of scams and frauds through identity theft in the country. These are two important ministers: on the one hand, the head of the country’s finances; and on the other, the one in charge of ensuring security, peace and public order in the country. It is essential not to share, under any circumstances, photos or videos of personal documents through electronic means.
This is the recommendation of the National Police to prevent criminals from taking advantage of opportunities to commit scams and fraud through identity theft. The Public Prosecutor’s Office reported that during the first half of this year, 2,743 cases of scams and other types of fraud have been registered, which represents an increase of 9% compared to the records for the year 2023. The monthly average exceeds 400 cases. The most common are fraud, aggravated fraud and the modification or manipulation of computer programs. And when observed by geographic area, they are concentrated in Panama, West Panama and Chiriquí. Computer crimes are those committed through the use of information technology. Types of crimes can be defined as extortion, fraud, identity theft or theft of personal data. Specifically, the crime linked to the modification or manipulation of computer programs reflected a year-on-year increase of 248%, going from 54 to 188 official reports.
