Cyberscam alert: A new WhatsApp channel is created to keep you up to date on potential scams.
The Catalan Cybersecurity Agency has also set up an online mailbox so that citizens can report new cases.
Barcelona"In 2025, cyber scams will increase," Laura Caballero, director of the Catalan Cybersecurity Agency, categorically predicts. Last year's massive corporate data leaks and the use of artificial intelligence lead the Catalan government agency to predict an upward trend in digital scams. It is in this context that the Agency has launched a two-pronged initiative: a cybersecurity alert channel via WhatsApp and an online mailbox where citizens who detect cyber scams can report them.
"These are two measures that seek to improve the protection of individuals and also build a more empowered digital society," Caballero emphasizes. The WhatsApp channel, which will operate as a pilot test, provides service information and information on "scams and internet security issues that have a massive impact." "It will serve to stay up-to-date on scams," Caballero summarizes. As for the inbox, it will be a tool "that everyone can access," although for the time being it will be one-way and will not allow for filing complaints.
The Agency, attached to the Department of the Presidency, frames the double initiative in a context ofIncrease in fraudulent calls and scams via emails and text messages. In addition, there is an increase in other threats that have been "until now minor," such as fraud via WhatsApp, Telegram, or QR codes. According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, 71,772 cyber scams were reported in Catalonia in 2024, which represents almost 200 reports per day.
Caballero points out that there is a great diversity in the types of deception, ranging from banking cyberscams to online commerce scams, and emphasizes the role that the rise of artificial intelligence is playing in this area. Although she admits that this technology is still being perfected, the Agency's director believes that it will soon make scams much more "sophisticated, credible, and believable." "They can still be detected because they're not perfect, but they're evolving very quickly," she says.
All in all, Caballero maintains that "the first line of defense against cybercrime is being well informed and knowing the basics to avoid scams." Therefore, the WhatsApp channel, which is already up and running, allows users to receive notifications with information in real time.