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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Recorded Future reported in 2024 that a network called ERIAKOS used Facebook discount ads to direct shoppers to 608 fraudulent online stores. Researchers assessed that the operation likely originated in China, based on infrastructure and payment clues—but that does not prove who the individual operators were or their nationality. The sites put shoppers’ personal and payment information at risk.
What was the ERIAKOS Facebook ad campaign?
Recorded Future detected the campaign on April 17, 2024, and named it ERIAKOS after the CDN host oss[.]eriakos[.]com. Its report counted 608 fraudulent e-commerce websites. Those are reported site numbers, not a count of victims or a measure of financial losses.
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The operators impersonated familiar brands and promoted steep discounts in Facebook ads. The ads led shoppers to fake storefronts designed to steal personal and payment data. Recorded Future assessed the network as the work of one threat actor or group; the reporting does not identify the people behind it.
Why some sites were hard to detect
Recorded Future said the shops were accessible through mobile devices and ad lures, a screening approach intended to frustrate automated detection. In some cases, direct desktop visits or visits without the expected Facebook referral context instead returned a 404 page, according to BleepingComputer’s July 31, 2024 coverage. Fake testimonials in ad comments and short-lived domains were also reported.
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Recorded Future described the tactic this way: “These fraudulent sites were accessible only through mobile devices and ad lures, a tactic aimed at evading automated detection systems and our first direct observation of such a TTP.”
What does the China link actually mean?
BleepingComputer reported that Recorded Future considered a Chinese origin likely based on the domain registrar, card networks, and payment-service providers. Recorded Future’s public summary also identifies Chinese payment-service providers in the payment picture. These clues support a qualified assessment of likely origin; they do not establish the identities or nationality of the people operating ERIAKOS.
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ERIAKOS should not be conflated with other China-linked Facebook operations. Meta’s March 2021 report on Earth Empusa, also called Evil Eye, concerned cyber-espionage targeting activists, journalists, and dissidents, particularly Uyghurs, through malicious links, fake personas, and malware. WIRED’s 2020 reporting on SilentFade described malware that stole Facebook credentials or session cookies and used compromised accounts’ payment methods to run fraudulent ads. Those were separate operations with different targets and tactics.
What risks did fake-shop ads pose?
A purchase from a fraudulent shop could expose card details and other personal information, as well as lead to unauthorized charges. Recorded Future said payments in the ERIAKOS campaign flowed through major card networks and Chinese payment-service providers. The campaign reporting does not provide a verified total of ERIAKOS losses.
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For context only, the FTC reported $117 million in losses from scams that started on social media during the first six months of 2020, as reported by TIME. That broad historical figure is not an estimate of ERIAKOS losses. Likewise, Facebook’s reported $4 million in fraudulent ad charges related to the separate SilentFade operation covered by WIRED, not ERIAKOS.
How to assess a Facebook discount ad or online shop
A Facebook ad placement, familiar brand imagery, or a very low price does not prove that a store is legitimate. Before paying, independently check the seller rather than relying on the ad or the shop’s own claims.
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- Look for independent information about the company and reviews from sources outside the shop.
- Check that the site has clear terms and contact details, and that its payment page and any payment subdomain match the business you intended to visit.
- Treat extreme discounts, pressure to buy immediately, and little or no independent information as warning signs.
- Check for HTTPS, but do not treat it as proof of legitimacy: HTTPS protects the connection, not the honesty of the seller.
- Be cautious with unsolicited ads and verify the retailer through a trusted route before entering personal or payment details.
What to do if you paid a suspicious shop
- Contact your card issuer promptly to report suspected fraud and ask what steps it recommends for the transaction and card.
- Keep the order confirmation, receipts, messages, and the shop’s web address in case the issuer or a reporting organization asks for details.
- Report the suspected scam to the Better Business Bureau, as Recorded Future recommends.
Recorded Future also noted that Facebook sometimes blocked scam ads and ultimately blocked the account responsible for the campaign, indicating that its fraud-detection systems were at least partly effective. That response does not make an individual ad or storefront safe to trust.
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- A more natural connection. Smart Camera adjusts automatically so you can move freely and stay in frame, while Smart Sound ensures you can easily be heard.
- Call anyone, anywhere. Use apps like Messenger and WhatsApp to connect with friends and family—even if they don’t have a Meta Portal.
- Designed for the home. With a sleek picture frame design, quick setup and intuitive voice and touchscreen controls, Meta Portal fits easily and seamlessly into your home.
- Privacy by design. Easily disable the camera and microphone, or block the lens with the camera cover.
Sources
- Recorded Future, “ERIAKOS” Scam Campaign: Detected by Recorded Future’s Payment Fraud Intelligence Team
- BleepingComputer, “Fraud ring pushes 600+ fake web shops via Facebook ads,” July 31, 2024
- Meta, “Taking Action Against Hackers in China,” March 2021
- WIRED, “Facebook Shut Down Malware That Hijacked Accounts to Run Ads,” 2020
- TIME, “Facebook Shopping Scams Have Skyrocketed During the Pandemic,” December 2020
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