Beware of Fake Chatbots: How to Spot Them
In Ukraine, the number of counterfeit chatbots is on the rise, created with the intent to commit fraud. Scammers may seek to obtain critical information or simply steal your personal data.
Identifying and blocking these dangerous pages is quite challenging. The cyber police are actively working on this issue, but new fakes appear instantly.
Chatbots like ChatbotEnemy, used for reporting the movement of Russian troops, have up to six clones, while the ticket purchasing bot “Ukrzaliznytsia” has at least five counterfeits. Some of these bots might not even function, creating inconveniences when you urgently need a ticket. All these bots are uncontrolled, and their creators may at any moment counterfeit the ticket purchasing mechanism to steal your funds.
How to identify fake chatbots?
Fake chatbots:
● Have slight differences in their name, such as one extra character.
● Lack the blue verification badge or have a counterfeit one that looks like an emoji.
● May communicate in Russian or have a menu in that language.
● May be inactive, leading users to think that government services are poorly managed.
To verify if a bot is authentic, use the “Botchecker” tool on Dovidka.info.
What is Botchecker?
This service includes a database of verified Ukrainian chatbots. Botchecker was developed by specialists from the Center for Strategic Communications in collaboration with the cyber police and the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
“In three years of operation, Botchecker has been used by 100,000 people. We created it in 2022 to improve communication with citizens during chaos. The Russians also began creating fakes. Our Botchecker is a simple tool that helps users identify counterfeits. The problem is still relevant, and its scale should not be underestimated,” notes Mykola Balaban, Deputy Head of the Center for Strategic Communications.
How to use Botchecker?
- Enter the name or link of the chatbot in the search field.
- Get information about its authenticity, developer, and the number of fake clones.
- If the bot is not in the database and seems suspicious, report it to the cyber police via the @stopdrugsbot (BRAMA in Telegram).
Be cautious! Don't give scammers a chance to deceive you and gain access to your data!