Love is in the air! And so is online scams and phishing! As couples prepare to celebrate with flowers, love letters and selected gifts, cybercriminals are setting fake websites. They are offering perfect bouquets, beautiful engagement rings or even Apple gadgets but that’s all a part of their scam.
As reported by Kaspersky several scam schemes have been initiated. You might face such scams while shopping for romantic gifts. Here’s a detailed view of the scams. Bonus Tip! You also get details on how to stay to safe from such scams.
Beware of V-Day Scams
A fake website has been detected. This website mimics Amazon offering customers great deals on jewelry. The fraudulent scheme, aimed at stealing users’ Amazon credentials, encourages customers to enter their Amazon login and password, inadvertently compromising their account details to cybercriminals. This results in marketplace account takeover, potentially leading to other phishing attacks or personal and banking data leaks.
This website mimics Amazon offering customers great deals on jewelry.
In another scam scheme spotted by Kaspersky, fraudsters do not even try to mimic the stores of famous brands, they create standalone fake websites with tempting offers and time-limited discounts. Vivid product images and beautiful descriptions are aimed at lowering the user’s vigilance. Cybercriminals can exploit consumer trust to lure unsuspecting buyers into paying for orders that are never fulfilled.
V-day scams
Safety nets ahead
Looking ahead, “ It is advisable to verify website addresses and avoid entering your personal information or banking details on suspicious sites in order to protect yourself from potential scams,” Olga Svistunova, a security expert, Kaspersky, said.
Here’s some additional advice you can follow in order to make online gifts shopping safe:
1. Check website URLs and domain names. In case of any doubts about a site’s authenticity, it’s highly recommended to browse for the official link.
2. Be cautious about advertising offers coming from email. Phishing links leading to fake shops are frequently distributed through spam mailings.
3. Avoid revealing personal and banking data. Only provide sensitive details on secure, verified platforms.
4. Use multi-aspect cybersecurity protection. Reliable cybersecurity software prevents clicking on malicious links and make all online transaction safe.
