In today's era of global digitalisation, online scams have reached alarming levels of sophistication, with serious economic, psychological, and emotional consequences for victims. In particular, scams involving platforms that allow remote access to devices – such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer, LogMeIn, GoToMyPC, and Chrome Remote Desktop – are becoming increasingly common. Although these technologies were originally developed for legitimate and professional purposes, they are now being exploited by cybercriminals to take control of victims' devices and consequently, their finances.
Giambrone & Partners' banking and financial services litigation department, offers highly specialised legal support to address the complex dynamics of these frauds. Our lawyers are fully aware of the severity of the consequences for victims of fraud, both financially and emotionally. Our multi-disciplinary team is committed to providing personalised, effective, and decisive assistance for each individual case.
With twenty offices worldwide – including locations in Italy, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Tunisia, Morocco, China and Japan, in addition we have a solid network of strategic partnerships with firms and professionals in all major jurisdictions, we are able to provide international legal advice with a focused and competent approach, particularly in cross-border cases or those involving foreign authorities. Furthermore, our professionals are fluent in Italian, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Chinese and Japanese. Our clients have lawyers that can speak their language enabling them to have a full understanding of every aspect of the proceedings and outcome.
Vito Anello, a senior associate, commented "cyberfraud has a significant impact on victims, not only due to the financial losses but often there is long term impairment to their credit rating making it difficult to obtain a mortgage or any other loan. Identity theft can have serious repercussions in a number of aspects of their lives." Vito further commented "Also, the emotional consequences can be devastating, leading to stress and anxiety and an erosion of trust."
How the Cyber Criminals Operate - The Dynamics of Scams
The modus operandi of these fraudsters is both simple and deceptive. It usually begins with a telephone call, an email, or a social media message from an individual posing as a financial adviser, IT technician, or, in cases of romance scams, a person establishing an emotional relationship with the victim. Frequently the fraudsters pretend to represent trusted institutions such as banks or public authorities, they use official logos and spoofed phone numbers to gain the victim's trust.
Once trust is established, they persuade the victim to install remote access software under the pretext of "resolving an issue," "verifying irregularities," or "assisting with an investment." When access is granted, the scammers take full control of the device and operate freely.
The most common fraudulent activities include:
- Transferring funds from the victim's bank account to
untraceable foreign accounts.
- Purchasing cryptocurrencies using digital wallets opened in the
victim's name.
- Saving sensitive data, banking credentials, and confidential
documents for future use (e.g., identity theft, repeated
scams).
- Manipulating the victim's online banking account to create false reports and encourage further deposits with promises of huge returns.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
