We’ve noticed fake EA support accounts plying their trade on Twitter for a while now, but here’s something a bit different and lurking over on Instagram.
On Twitter, the fakes typically inject themselves into support conversations before steering the victim to a phish page.
On Instagram, the lure is EA sports World Cup fever, with the promise of new / exclusive characters as long as you visit the link in the profile.
Here’s one such promise, along with a list of people doing the equivalent of posting “first” on an article (except in this case, trying to be first to lose access to their accounts).
![Lining up to be phished](https://www.malwarebytes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/instaeaphish1.jpg)
The text reads:
“Neymar #MOTM is here! The 20 first who log in on the link in our bio get him #Neymar #Brazil”
They make use of Instagram hashtags, which place tagged images under the selected keywords for all to see.
![world cup](https://www.malwarebytes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/instaeaphish4.jpg)
“Don’t forget to play FUT #WorldCup with all the world cup players! If you want a free #TOTW player just log in on the link in our bio #Fifa14″
In fact, the whole Instagram page is one attempt after another to drive victims to the page on the bio link.
![Phish pics galore](https://www.malwarebytes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/instaeaphish2.jpg)
Note that the account has close to 9,000 followers, and most of the images typically have a minimum of 400+ likes with multiple users posting that they’re visiting the linked URL to enter their details. In short, they have a ready supply of potential victims to toy with.
The link is, of course, a phishing page which contains a chart of the various World Cup groups and a couple of forms to fill in. On the left, they’re going for Origin passwords; on the right, XBox logins. Regardless of selection, your details will be sent to the scammers.
![looks phishy](https://www.malwarebytes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/instaeaphish3.jpg)
While fake support accounts are most definitely a bad thing, we shouldn’t forget about more traditional forms of account theft such as the one above…especially as World Cup fever is now underway.
Do yourself a favour, and – here comes the football related closing gag – kick this one into touch.
Christopher Boyd