You have just received an SMS or an email from your sports federation… Be careful, this may be a scam

At the end of 2024, Free was the victim of a major data leak, leaving the information of more than a million subscribers in the hands of scammers.

Today, it is the French Sports Federations which are affected. The French Archery Federation has just announced that the personal data of 80,000 members had been stolen. Climbing more than 800,000, boxing more than 620,000, motorsport more than 360,000, strength more than 64,000, motorcycling more than 460,000…

According to the information provided by the federations, it appears that the personal information of the members was recovered, in particular the surnames/first names, address, date of birth, email address, identifiers and telephone numbers of the licensees and employees of these federations. .

These databases were auctioned on the Dark Web. It would therefore not be surprising if within a few days or weeks, this data was used in phishing campaigns, or to set up all kinds of scams.

If you are a member of a sports federation and you receive an SMS or email from your federation, be wary, it may be a phishing message that seeks to steal more lucrative information from you such as your bank details.

You will therefore not only need to be vigilant, but also have effective tools to protect yourself.

Faced with increasingly sophisticated phishing attempts, it is crucial to adopt a proactive and methodical approach to avoid being trapped. Here are the best practices to follow and share without moderation:

Never interact directly with a suspicious link

Before clicking on a link, hover over it (for emails) or check the actual URL mentioned in the message (for SMS). If this does not correspond to the official address of the organization, avoid any clicks. Prefer to type the official address of the site directly into your browser to access the page. Phishing SMS messages are just as dangerous. Never click on links included in unsolicited messages, especially if they ask for sensitive information or payments.

Beware of offers that are too good to be true

Messages announcing an unexpected win, an urgent alert or an exclusive offer often exploit your emotions to push you to act impulsively. Take the time to verify their authenticity before reacting.

Pay attention to mistakes and inconsistencies

Despite the improvement in fraudsters' techniques, certain signs can give them away. Look for spelling mistakes, awkward expressions or an unusual tone. A message that is too insistent or alarming is often suspicious. Compare the style with that of the usual communications of the supposedly issuing organization.

Use a password manager

A password manager can help you identify fraudulent sites in the event of email phishing. If the URL does not match the one recorded in the manager, the latter will not fill in your identifiers. If the fields remain empty, consider this a red flag.

Be careful with attachments

Never open an email attachment from a questionable sender, even if the file appears legitimate (invoice, receipt, etc.) or has a known extension (PDF, DOC, etc.). These files may contain malware that can steal your data.

Can an antivirus protect me against phishing attacks?

Antivirus and security suites play a vital role in preventing phishing attempts and protecting against malicious sites. Here's how they work:

They include advanced tools such as a VPN to secure your connection, spam filters that block suspicious emails before they reach your inbox, a secure browser that can detect questionable URLs, and a browser manager. passwords which only fills your identifiers on the official sites of your accounts.

Although these tools are very effective, your vigilance remains essential. In the event of phishing, these solutions can not only prevent access to fraudulent sites, but also protect you if an email tempts you to download malware. This malware, often designed to steal your sensitive data, is detected and neutralized by a good security suite, strengthening your online protection.

Thus, among the most effective security suites on the market, two of them are particularly relevant in the situation of data leaks from sports federations: Norton 360 Advanced and Avira Prime.

Norton 360 Advanced

With Norton 360 Advanced, you benefit from a comprehensive range of solutions designed to effectively protect your online activities. In addition to antivirus and antimalware protection, this service includes advanced tools like the SafeCam module to secure your webcam, intuitive parental controls, and many other features designed to strengthen your cybersecurity.

To combat phishing, Norton offers specific technologies that go beyond simple traditional spam filters. Norton Safe Email deeply scans received emails and their attachments to detect any suspicious content. These elements are compared to a database updated in real time via the cloud. If a danger is identified, the email is immediately blocked, thus protecting your Gmail, Outlook or any other service using IMAP/POP protocols.

Internet browsing is also secure thanks to the Web Protection module and the Norton Safe Web extension, compatible with major browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Edge. These tools analyze the sites you visit and display clear alerts if there is a threat. A visual indicator built right into your search engine instantly lets you know how trustworthy a site is, helping you avoid malicious pages.

Another essential asset is the password manager. By storing and automatically entering your credentials only on official sites, it significantly reduces the risk of data theft. It also protects you against keyloggers who could record your keystrokes on insecure pages.

Finally, Norton 360 Advanced offers Dark Web Monitoring, a valuable feature for monitoring your personal information. If your data, such as your login details, email addresses or credit card numbers, appears on Dark Web forums or marketplaces, you receive a real-time alert. This allows you to act quickly to secure your accounts before they are compromised, adding an extra layer of proactive protection.

Avira Prime

Avira Prime stands out as a comprehensive security solution, providing effective protection against online threats, including phishing attempts. It combines cutting-edge technologies with an intuitive interface, ensuring both your devices and your privacy are protected, while ensuring seamless use.

To counter phishing attacks, Avira relies on its Avira Browser Safety extension. This tool integrated into web browsers acts in real time to analyze the links you want to visit. When a suspicious page is detected, access is immediately blocked, protecting you from fraudulent schemes often used to steal personal information.

The password manager included in Avira Prime strengthens this defense by storing your credentials securely and automatically entering them only on authenticated sites. This system prevents sensitive information from being transmitted to malicious sites and also offers the possibility of creating unique and complex passwords, minimizing the risks of exploitation in the event of a data leak.

Online security is enhanced by advanced web protection, capable of examining each page visited to identify possible threats. An intelligent firewall built into the suite also monitors network traffic for suspicious behavior that could indicate malicious activity. Emails, which remain one of the preferred means of spreading phishing attempts, also benefit from in-depth analysis. Attachments and links in messages are checked to detect and neutralize any potential threats, ensuring added security for your inbox.