馃嚥馃嚘MoroccoNorth Africa
Contactless payment scams surge globally, Kaspersky reports
via Le Matin2 min read
Attacks targeting contactless payments via Near Field Communication NFC technology are rapidly increasing worldwide. Kaspersky's cybersecurity solutions blocked over 35,600 attacks on Android smartphones in the first four months of 2026, a 188% rise from just over 12,300 in the same period in 2025. These attacks use various malware families, including SuperCard X, PhantomCard, NGate, and several variants of NFCGate, a legitimate tool repurposed for fraud. While some markets were initially hit hard, the threat now affects many regions, including Europe, Latin America, and countries with widespread contactless payments. Experts identify two main methods. "Direct NFC" involves tricking victims, via fraudulent messages or calls, into installing an app disguised as a banking service. Users are then prompted to place their bank card near their smartphone and enter their PIN, allowing cybercriminals to steal payment information. The more recent and sophisticated "reverse NFC" method involves victims setting a malicious app as their default contactless payment method. This manipulation allows fraudsters to divert transactions and convince targets to make deposits into a supposed "secure account," with funds actually going directly to the cybercriminals. Sergey Golovanov, a Kaspersky cybersecurity expert, notes that reverse NFC attacks are becoming more frequent and pose a greater risk because victims perform the financial operations themselves, making fraudulent transactions harder t
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
Ten years after the July 15, 2016 events in Turkey, the memory of Jawad Merroun, a Moroccan national from Tangier, continues to be honored. Merroun was among the 253 people who died during the events and has become an emblematic figure in official Turkish ceremonies, symbolizing the friendship between Morocco and Turkey. To commemorate the anniversary, the Communication Directorate of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey organized an international program from July 15 to 17, bringing together 41 journalists from 21 countries, including Nabila Bakkass from "Le Matin" and Fouad El Yamani from "Assahraa Al Maghribia" representing Morocco. The initiative aimed to help foreign media understand how Turkey preserves the memory of July 15, 2016, through memorial sites, institutions, and testimonies. The Turkish authorities' objective is to remember the events and present their perspective to foreign observers. The delegation visited significant sites in Ankara and Istanbul, participating in official ceremonies for Democracy and National Unity Day. They toured the Turkish public broadcaster TRT headquarters, where a studio, now called "July 15 Studio," has been preserved as a memorial. Ahmet G枚rmez, Deputy Director General of TRT for international services, explained that public media were among the first targets of the coup attempt. The delegation also visited the July 15 Democracy Museum in Ankara's presidential complex, inaugurated in 2021, which uses photographs, videos, docum
Morocco is enhancing its measures against financial scams, particularly phishing, as the digital transformation of its financial sector accelerates. Nabil Badr, Director of Banking Supervision at Bank Al-Maghrib, highlighted this during a workshop in Rabat, co-organized with the National Financial Intelligence Authority. He noted that cyber-scams are now viewed as a significant risk to digital trust, financial inclusion, and the fight against illicit financial flows, rather than just banking fraud. Global financial fraud losses reached 442 billion dollars in 2025, according to Interpol's Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment report. Fraudsters are increasingly targeting individuals through social engineering tactics like fake SMS messages, fraudulent calls, malicious links, and identity theft, rather than solely exploiting technological vulnerabilities. This poses a strategic challenge for Bank Al-Maghrib as Morocco expands financial inclusion, develops digital payments, and reduces cash usage, making public trust in digital tools crucial. Bank Al-Maghrib's analysis, supported by the Financial Action Task Force, indicates that proceeds from cyber-scams often fuel international money laundering and other financial crimes. This broadens the scope of anti-phishing efforts to include financial integrity, involving banks, judicial authorities, financial intelligence services, and law enforcement. In response, Bank Al-Maghrib has reinforced its prudential framework, issuing a gu
Mahdi El Maimouni, a young Moroccan talent, has joined FC Barcelona, a move that marks a significant step in his career. The Catalan club has been monitoring his progress since 2024. El Maimouni, who previously received the prestigious Golden Lion award in Belgium, is expected to further develop his skills and physical impact at Barcelona, with aspirations to reach the highest levels. His international future is also a point of interest, as he is eligible to play for both Belgium and Morocco. The Moroccan Royal Football Federation is keenly observing his development, viewing his tactical intelligence and passing ability as crucial for the national team's generational renewal. The growing appeal of the Atlas Lions, driven by an ambitious sports project, is a strong factor in attracting players like El Maimouni. Meanwhile, Salim El Jebari has officially signed with C贸rdoba CF for the next three seasons. The 22-year-old left winger, a product of Atl茅tico de Madrid's academy, recently completed a successful loan spell at CD Mirand茅s, gaining valuable experience in LaLiga2. Known for his speed, dribbling, and ability to energize offensive transitions, El Jebari joins the Andalusian club with the goal of advancing his career. C贸rdoba CF expects him to bolster their offensive sector and make a significant impact. This move to an ambitious second-division Spanish club ensures El Jebari valuable playing time, essential for consistency and realizing his full potential, while also stren