Guru Bahasa Inggris Viral MMS Video Scam: Fake ‘English Teacher-Student’ Links Spreading Malware Across Social Media
A wave of scams utilizing fake download links is taking advantage of the current trend of “Guru Bahasa Inggris,” attracting unsuspecting users into phishing scams and malware scams instead of providing the sort of teacher and student video users are searching for. Currently, experts believe that scammers continue to use X, TikTok, Telegram, and Facebook to flood their platforms with posts claiming to contain the full viral clip, with scams multiplying.
Rumors regarding an alleged leaked MMS video of a teacher/student pairing have led to the sudden rise of traffic on the “Guru Bahasa Inggris” (Indonesian for English teacher) keywords, and cybercriminals have now taken advantage of the interest generated by these keywords, posting phishing links pretending to be download links to videos.
Many people searching for the “Guru Bahasa Inggris Viral Video” are reportedly being redirected to malicious web pages that request they download fake apps, fake updates for a codec, or a “private video player” before allowing them access to the content requested. Security analysts say that these downloads are often trojans that have been designed to steal a victim’s passwords, bank account information, social media accounts, as well as any other sensitive data on an infected user’s device.
Another tactic used by cybercriminals is to create numerous aggressive adware websites that display an overwhelming amount of popups, redirects, and fake alerts. In addition to generating advertising revenue for the criminals, these websites also increase the likelihood of installing malware on your device. In the most serious cases, attackers may send ZIP or MP4 files to target devices to remotely install spyware or tracking programs on smartphones or computers.
Authorities as well as experts in the field of internet safety are encouraging all internet users to not click on shortened or anonymous links posted in comment sections or through direct messages. In addition, internet users should not visit websites that claim to offer “premium unlocked videos,” but require the downloading of additional (external) software for viewing.
Furthermore, experts recommend ensuring antivirus programs are always updated on both mobile devices and desktop computers to help prevent malicious redirects and also to identify any files that could be infected. Experts also suggest the use of two-factor authentication for both social media and banking accounts to decrease the risk of account compromise through the theft of account credentials.
While several accounts that previously posted the fraudulent “Guru Bahasa Inggris” links have now been suspended, duplicate and mirror pages continue to appear on multiple networks. Analysts caution that similar scams will reappear using different hashtags and viral trends, which makes being aware of what is occurring on the web one of the best defenses against criminals operating online.
