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Just when they need financial security the most, job seekers face another challenge—getting ripped off by job scams.
Scammers will capitalize on any opportunity to fleece a victim, like the holidays with ecommerce scams and tax time with IRS scams. Now, with surging employment figures, scammers have turned to job scams that harvest money and personal information from job seekers.
In some ways, the tactics bear resemblance to online dating and romance scammers who hide behind a phony profile and tell their victims a story they want to hear, namely that someone loves them. With job scams, they take on the persona of a recruiter and lure their victims with what seems like an outstanding job offer. Of course, there’s no job. It’s a scam.
These attacks have gained a degree of sophistication that they once lacked. Years prior, scammers relied on spammy emails and texts to share their bogus job offers. Now, they’re using phony profiles on social media platforms to target victims.
Social media platforms have several mechanisms in place to identity and delete the phony profiles that scammers use for these attacks. Of note, LinkedIn’s latest community report cited the removal of more than 21 million fake accounts in the first half of 2022:
Likewise, Facebook took action on 1.5 billion fake accounts in Q3 of 2022 alone, with more than 99% of them acted on before users reported them.
Still, some scammers make their way through.
As Steve Grobman, our senior vice president and chief technology officer, was quoted in an article for CNET, the continued shift to remote work, along with remote hiring, has also made it easier for online job scams to flourish. And the figures bear that out.
In 2021, the FTC called out $209 million in reported losses due to job scams. In just the first three quarters of 2022, reported job scam losses had already reached $250 million. While year-end figures have yet to be posted, the final tally for 2022 could end up well over $300 million, a 50% uptick. And the median loss per victim? Right around $2,000 each.
While the promise of work or a job offer make these scams unique, the scammers behind them want the same old things—your money, along with your personal information so that they can use it to cause yet more harm. The moment any so-called job offer asks for any of those, a red flag should immediately go up.
It’s possibly a scam if:
In the hands of a scammer, your SSN or tax ID is the master key to your identity. With it, they can open up bank cards, lines of credit, apply for insurance benefits, collect benefits and tax returns, or even commit crimes, all in your name. Needless to say, scammers will ask for it, perhaps under the guise of background check or for payroll purposes. The only time you should provide your SSN or tax ID is when you know that you have accepted a legitimate job with a legitimate company, and through a secure document signing service, never via email, text, or over the phone.
Another trick scammers rely on is asking for bank account information so that they can wire payment to you. As with the SSN above, closely guard this information and treat it in exactly the same way. Don’t give it out unless you actually have a legitimate job with a legitimate company.
Some scammers will take a different route. They’ll promise employment, but first you’ll need to pay them for training, onboarding, or equipment before you can start work. Legitimate companies won’t make these kinds of requests.
Aside from the types of information they ask for, the way they ask for your information offers other clues that you might be mixed up in a scam. Look out for the following as well:
You can sniff out many online scams with the “too good to be true” test. Scammers often make big promises during the holidays with low-priced offers for hard-to-get holiday gifts and then simply don’t deliver. It’s the same with job scams. The high pay, the low hours, and even the offer of things like a laptop and other perks, these are signs that a job offer might be a scam. Moreover, when pressed for details about this seemingly fantastic job opportunity, scammers may balk. Or they may come back with incomplete or inconsistent replies because the job doesn’t exist at all.
Job scammers hide behind their screens. They use the anonymity of the internet to their advantage. Job scammers likewise create phony profiles on networking and social media websites, which means they won’t agree to a video chat or call, which are commonly used in legitimate recruiting today. If your job offer doesn’t involve some sort of face-to-face communication, that’s an indication it may be a scam.
Scammers now have an additional tool reel in their victims—AI chatbots like Chat GPT, which can generate email correspondence, chats, LinkedIn profiles, and other content in seconds so they can bilk victims on a huge scale. However, AI has its limits. Right now, it tends to use shorter sentences in a way that seems like it’s simply spitting out information. There’s little story or substance to the content it creates. That may be a sign of a scam. Likewise, even without AI, you may spot a recruiter using technical or job-related terms in an unusual ways, as if they’re unfamiliar with the work they’re hiring for. That’s another potential sign.
Scammers love a quick conversion. Yet job seekers today know that interview processes are typically long and involved, often relying on several rounds of interviews and loops. If a job offer comes along without the usual rigor and the recruiter is asking for personal information practically right away, that’s another near-certain sign of a scam.
This is another red flag. Legitimate businesses stick to platforms associated with networking for business purposes, typically not networking for families, friends, and interests. Why do scammers use sites like Facebook anyway? They’re a gold mine of information. By trolling public profiles, they have access to years of posts and armloads of personal information on thousands of people, which they can use to target their attacks. This is another good reason to set your social media profiles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and other friend-oriented sites to private so that scammers of all kinds, not just job scammers, can’t use your information against you.
As a job hunter you know, getting the right job requires some research. You look up the company, dig into their history—the work they do, how long they’ve been at it, where their locations are, and maybe even read some reviews provided by current or former employees. When it comes to job offers that come out of the blue, it calls for taking that research a step further.
After all, is that business really a business, or is it really a scam?
In the U.S., you have several resources that can help you answer that question. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) offers a searchable listing of businesses in the U.S., along with a brief profile, a rating, and even a list of complaints (and company responses) waged against them. Spending some time here can quickly shed light on the legitimacy of a company.
Also in the U.S., you can visit the website of your state’s Secretary of State and search for the business in question, where you can find when it was founded, if it’s still active, or if it exists at all. For businesses based in a state other than your own, you can visit that state’s Secretary of State website for information. For a state-by-state list of Secretaries of State, you can visit the Secretary of State Corporate Search page here.
For a listing of businesses with international locations, organizations like S&P Global Ratings and the Dun and Bradstreet Corporation can provide background information, which may require signing up for an account.
Given the way rely so heavily on the internet to get things done and simply enjoy our day, comprehensive online protection software that looks out for your identity, privacy, and devices is a must. Specific to job scams, it can help you in several ways, these being just a few:
Job searches are loaded with emotion—excitement and hopefulness, sometimes urgency and frustration as well. Scammers will always lean into these emotions and hope to catch you off your guard. If there’s a common thread across all kinds of online scams, that’s it. Emotion.
A combination of a cool head and some precautionary measures that protect you and your devices can make for a much safer job-hunting experience, and a safer, more private life online too.
Editor’s Note:
Job scams are a crime. If you think that you or someone you know has fallen victim to one, report it to your authorities and appropriate government agencies. In the case of identity theft or loss of personal information, our knowledge base article on identity theft offers suggestions for the specific steps you can take in specific countries, along with helpful links for local authorities that you can turn to for reporting and assistance.
The post Job Scams—How to Tell if that Online Job Offer is Fake appeared first on McAfee Blog.
As with any major holiday or special occasion, Valentine’s Day is unfortunately not immune to scammers looking for an opportunity to exploit unsuspecting individuals. Their deceitful acts can break hearts and bank accounts. In this article, we spotlight some common Valentine’s Day scams, offer tips on how to protect yourself and navigate this romantic day with confidence and caution.
Valentine’s Day is a time when love is in the air. It’s a time to express your feelings for that special someone in your life, or perhaps even embark on a new romantic journey. But while you’re busy planning that perfect dinner or choosing the ideal gift, there’s an unromantic side to the day that you should be aware of – the potential for scams.
Scammers, always looking for new ways to trick people into parting with their money, use the heightened emotions of Valentine’s Day to their advantage. They prey on the unwary, the love-struck, and even the lonely – anyone who might let their guard down in the quest for love or the pursuit of the perfect gift. And in our increasingly digital world, these unscrupulous individuals have more ways than ever to reach potential victims.
→ Dig Deeper: AI Goes Dating: McAfee Study Shows 1 in 3 Men Plan to Use Artificial Intelligence to Write Love Letters this Valentine’s Day
Knowledge is power, as the saying goes, and that’s certainly true when it comes to protecting yourself from scams. By understanding the types of scams that are common around Valentine’s Day, you can be better prepared to spot them – and avoid falling victim.
One of the most common Valentine’s Day scams is the romance scam. Scammers, often posing as potential love interests on dating websites or social media, manipulate victims into believing they are in a romantic relationship. Once they have gained their victim’s trust, they ask for money – perhaps to pay for a flight so they can meet in person, or because of a sudden personal crisis. These scams can be emotionally devastating, and they can also result in significant financial loss.
→ Dig Deeper: Fraudulent Adult Dating Services Turn 10 Years Old, Still Evolving
Another popular scam around Valentine’s Day involves online shopping. With many people seeking the perfect gift for their loved ones, scammers set up fake websites that appear to sell everything from jewelry to concert tickets. After making a purchase, the unsuspecting victim either receives a counterfeit product or, in some cases, nothing at all. Additionally, these sites may be designed to steal credit card information or other personal data.
Phishing scams are also common. In these scams, victims receive emails that appear to be from a legitimate company – perhaps a florist or a candy company – asking them to confirm their account information or to click on a link. The goal is to steal sensitive information, such as credit card numbers or login credentials.
While the existence of these scams is unquestionably concerning, the good news is that there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Valentine’s Day should be a celebration of love, not a source of stress and worry.
One of the most important is to be aware that these scams exist and to be cautious when interacting with unfamiliar people or websites. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
When shopping online, make sure the website you are using is secure, and consider using a credit card, which offers greater protection against fraud compared to other forms of payment. Be wary of emails from unknown sources, especially those that ask for personal information or urge you to click on a link.
For shopping scams, it’s recommended to do research on any unfamiliar online retailer before making a purchase. Look for reviews or complaints about the retailer on independent consumer websites. If the website is offering items at a price that seems too good to be true, it likely is. Also, consider the website’s URL. A URL that begins with ‘https://’ indicates that the website encrypts user information, making it safer to input sensitive information than on websites with ‘http://’ URLs.
Forewarned is forearmed, and having advanced strategies to detect and avoid scams is also a strong line of defense. When it comes to online dating, be sure to thoroughly vet any potential romantic interests. This involves doing a reverse image search of profile photos, which can quickly reveal if a picture has been stolen from another online source. Additionally, be aware of red flags such as overly-flattering messages or requests to move the conversation to a private email or messaging app.
McAfee Pro Tip: If you’re considering using one of these for a bit of dating beyond a dating app or simply to stay connected with family and friends, the key advice is to do your homework. Look into their security measures and privacy policies, especially because some have faced security issues recently. For more information, take a look at this article on video conferencing to ensure you can keep hackers and uninvited guests away when you’re chatting.
If you come across a scam or fall victim to one, it’s crucial to report it to the appropriate authorities. This helps law enforcement track down scammers and alert others to the scam. In the U.S., you can report scams to the Federal Trade Commission through their website. If the scam involves a financial transaction, also report it to your bank or credit card company. They may be able to help recover your funds or prevent further losses.
Additionally, take steps to protect yourself after falling victim to a scam. This could involve changing passwords, monitoring your financial accounts for unusual activity, or even freezing your credit. It can also be beneficial to alert your friends and family to the scam, both to protect them and to gain their support and assistance in dealing with the aftermath of the scam.
→ Dig Deeper: How To Report An Online Scam
The unfortunate reality is that scammers are ever-present and always looking for new ways to exploit unsuspecting victims. However, by being informed, cautious, and proactive, you can significantly decrease your chances of falling victim to a Valentine’s Day scam. Whether you’re looking for love or shopping for the perfect gift, remember to always prioritize your safety and security.
And if you do encounter a scam, take comfort in knowing that you’re not alone and there are resources available to help. McAfee’s blogs and reports are just some of them. By reporting scams to the authorities, you’re doing your part to help stop scammers in their tracks and protect others from falling victim. Remember, Valentine’s Day is a day for celebrating love, not for worrying about scammers. Stay safe, stay informed, and don’t let a scammer ruin your Valentine’s Day.
Remember to always stay vigilant. Protect your heart and your bank account, and make sure your Valentine’s Day is filled with love and happiness, not regret and frustration. Don’t let scammers break your heart or your bank account – on Valentine’s Day or on any other day.
The post Valentine’s Alert: Don’t Let Scammers Break Your Heart or Your Bank Account appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Everyone loves a great deal when they shop online. Until they discover it’s a rip-off.
Social media ads for vintage wear. Website ads for home entertainment gear. Search ads for handbags. Some of these ads aren’t what they seem. Instead of leading you to deals on a trustworthy ecommerce site, the ads take you to a bogus page designed to steal your money and personal info.
Unfortunately, it happens. And one global report estimated that online shoppers lost $41 billion to fraud in 2022. How do scammers pull it off? With the same tools that legitimate businesses use.
Let’s look at how they do it and how you can steer clear of their tricks.
Many of today’s scammers work in organized fashion. They oversee large cybercrime operations that run much like a business. They employ web designers, coders, marketing teams, and customer call centers that mimic a genuine online retailer. Which makes sense. The more they can look and act like the real thing, the more likely they can lure victims into their online stores.
Smaller bands of scammers get in on this action as well. Just as a small business can easily create an online store with any number of off-the-shelf services and solutions, so can a couple of scammers.
In this way, scammers large and small can readily create a professional-looking website, create effective ads to drive traffic to it, and collect financial information from there.
Yet, some scammers don’t steal financial information outright. They might indeed ship you the goods, but they won’t be the goods you ordered. They’re counterfeit. And it might be part of a large-scale operation that exploits child workers.
Whether they’re out to steal your money or sell you knockoff goods, online shopping scams tend to ramp up around gift-giving seasons. They’ll bait shoppers with hard-to-find items, tout steep discounts on other popular items, and otherwise play into the rush of holiday gift buying. Yet they crop up year-round as well. Really, any time you shop is a time to be on the lookout for them.
This is a great piece of advice to start with. Directly typing in the correct address for online stores and retailers is a prime way to avoid scammers online. In the case of retailers that you don’t know much about, the U.S. Better Business Bureau (BBB) asks shoppers to do their research. Ensure that the retailer has a good reputation. The BBB makes that easier with a listing of retailers you can search by typing in their name.
Also in the U.S., you can visit the website of your state’s Secretary of State. There you can search for the business in question, learn when it was founded, if it’s still active, or if it exists at all. For businesses based in a state other than your own, you can visit that state’s Secretary of State website for information. For a state-by-state list of Secretaries of State, you can visit the Secretary of State Corporate Search page here.
For a listing of businesses with international locations, organizations like S&P Global Ratings and the Dun and Bradstreet Corporation can provide background information.
Never heard of that retailer before? See when they launched their website. A relatively new site might be a sign that it’s part of a scam.
A quick visit to the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) website can show you certain background information for any website you type in. Given how quickly and easily scammers can register and launch a website, this kind of information can help you sniff out a scam.
Of course, it might also indicate a new business that’s entirely legitimate, so a little more digging is called for. That’s where reviews come in. Aside from the resources listed above, a simple web search of “[company name] reviews” or “[company name] scam” can help you find out if the retailer is legit.
3. Look for the lock icon in your browser when you shop.
Secure websites begin their addresses with “https,” not just “http.” That extra “s” stands for “secure,” which means that it uses a secure protocol for transmitting sensitive info like passwords, credit card numbers, and the like over the internet. It often appears as a little padlock icon in the address bar of your browser, so double-check for that. If you don’t see that it’s secure, it’s best to avoid making purchases on that website.
4. Pay with a credit card instead of your debit card.
Credit cards offer fraud protections that debit cards don’t. Another key difference: when fraud occurs with a debit card, you fight to get your money back—it’s gone straight out of your account. With a credit card, the issuer fights to get their money back. They’re the ones who take the financial hit.
Additionally, in the U.S., the Fair Credit Billing Act offers the public protection against fraudulent charges on credit cards. The act gives citizens the power to dispute charges over $50 for goods and services that were never delivered or otherwise billed incorrectly. Note that many credit card companies have their own policies that improve upon the Fair Credit Billing Act as well. However, debit cards aren’t afforded the same protection under the Act. Avoid using a debit card while shopping online and use your credit card instead.
Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of defense on top of your username and password. It adds a one-time-use code to access your login procedure, typically sent to your smartphone by text or call. Together, that makes it tougher for a crook to hack your account. If any of your accounts support two-factor authentication, the few extra seconds it takes to set up is more than worth the big boost in protection you’ll get.
Public Wi-Fi in coffee shops and other public locations can expose your private surfing to prying eyes because those networks are open to all. A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts your browsing, shopping, and other internet traffic. That makes it secure from bad actors who try to intercept your data on public Wi-Fi, which can include your passwords and credit card numbers.
A complete suite of online protection software like McAfee+ can offer layers of extra security while you shop. It includes web browser protection that can block malicious and questionable links that might lead you down the road to malware or a phishing scam— along with a password manager that can create and securely store strong, unique passwords.
Social media has made it easier for sellers large and small to reach customers online. It’s made it easier for scammers to reach victims too.
If you’re on social media, you’ve certainly seen your share of ads. Some are from companies and retailers you know and trust. Yet more are from names you’ve likely never heard of. They might be legitimate businesses, yet they might be fronts for a convincing-looking scam.
These ads end up on social media the same way ads from legitimate businesses do, by way of social media ad platforms. Social media companies created these platforms so advertisers can reach millions of individual users based upon their age group, hobbies and interests, past purchases, and so on.
For example, a scammer might target younger shoppers with an interest in retro fashion. From there, the scammer can narrow that down to target people who live in metropolitan areas who like 1980s memorabilia. The scammers then create an ad that takes that audience to a phony website loaded with bogus t-shirts, coats, and bags.
All of it costs relatively little. A small ad budget of a few hundred dollars can give scammers exposure to millions of potential victims.
The best way to avoid getting stung by these sites is to do your homework. Seek out the company’s track record. Look for reviews. And if you’re unsure, take a pass. Don’t shop with that company.
Shopping scams can look and feel rather sophisticated today. With a host of low-cost and easy-to-use tools for publishing and advertising online, scammers of all sizes can create bogus shopping experiences that look convincing.
So buyers be wary. Before you click or tap on that ad, do some research. Determine if the company is legitimate, if it’s had complaints waged against it, and how those complaints were resolved. And always use your credit card. It offers the best consumer protections you have in the event you do end up getting scammed.
The post Steer Clear of Rip-offs: Top Tips for Safer Online Shopping appeared first on McAfee Blog.
It all feels so harmless. Who isn’t even alittle curious which celebrity is their look-a-like or what ’80s song best matches their personality? While some of these fun little quizzes and facial recognition-type games that pop up on social media are advertiser-generated and harmless, others have been carefully designed to steal your data.
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) consumers need to beware with the IQ tests, quizzes that require you to trade information. Depending on the goal of the scam, one click could result in a new slew of email or text spam, malicious data mining, or even a monthly charge on your phone bill.
Besides the spammy quizzes, scammers also use click bait, that are headlines designed to get your click and your data. Such headlines often promise juicy info on celebrities and may even legitimate human interest stories that claim, “and you won’t believe what happened next.” While some of those headlines are authored by reputable companies simply trying to sell products and compete for clicks, others are data traps that chip away at your privacy.
The best defense against click bait is knowledge. Similar to the plague of fake news circulating online, click bait is getting more sophisticated and deceptive in appearance, which means that users must be even more sophisticated in understanding how to sidestep these digital traps.
Our digital landscape is peppered with fake news and click bait, which makes it difficult to build trust with individuals and brands who have legitimate messages and products to share. As you become savvy to the kinds of data scams, your discernment and ability to hold onto your clicks will become second nature. Continue to have fun, learn, connect, but guard your heart with every click. Be sure to keep yor devices protected while you do!
The post Are You Getting Caught by Click Bait? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
It’s been a particularly busy and colourful week, scam-wise in our household. Between 4 family members, we’ve received almost 20 texts or emails that we’ve identified as scams. And the range was vast: from poorly written emails offering ‘must have’ shopping deals to terse text messages reprimanding us for overdue tolls plus the classic ‘Dear mum, I’ve smashed my phone’ and everything in between.
There’s no doubt that scammers are dedicated opportunists who can pivot fast. They can pose as health authorities during a pandemic, charities after a flood or even your next big love on an online dating platform. And it’s this chameleon ability that means we need to always be on red alert!
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Aussies lost a record amount of more than $2 billion in scams in 2021. And that was with record levels of intervention from the government, law enforcement agencies and the private sector. The most lucrative scams were investment scams ($701 million) followed by payment redirection scams ($227 million) and then romance scams which netted a whopping $142 million.
But the psychological trauma that is often experienced by victims can be equally as devastating. Many individuals will require extensive counselling and support in order to move on from the emotional scarring from being a victim of hacking.
So, with scammers putting so much energy into trying to lure us into their web, how can we stay one step ahead of these online schemers and ensure we don’t become a victim?
While there are no guarantees in life, there are a few steps you can take so that you can quickly recognise an online scam.
If you’ve received a text message, email or call that you think is a scam, don’t respond. Take your time. Slow down and pause. If it’s a call, and you’re not sure – hang up! Or if it’s a text or email – delete it! But if you are concerned that it might be legitimate, call the company directly using the contact information from their official website or through their secure apps.
If you are being asked to share your personal information or pay money either via a text or phone call, take some time to think. Does it feel legitimate? Do you have a relationship with this organisation? Remember, scammers are very talented at pretending they are from organisations you know and trust. If in doubt, contact the company directly via their official communication channels. Or ask a trusted friend or family member for their input. But remember, NEVER click on any links in messages from people or organisations you don’t know – no exceptions!!
Do not hesitate to take action if something feels wrong. If there are any transactions on your credit card or bank statements that don’t look right, call your bank immediately. If you think you may have given personal information to scammers, then act fast. I recommend calling ID Care – Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber support service. They are a not-for-profit charity that provides support to individuals affected by identity and cyber security issues.
ReportCyber is another way of notifying authorities of a scam. An initiative of the Australian Government and the Australian Cyber Security Centre, it helps authorities investigate and shut down scams. It’s also a good idea to report the scam to Scamwatch – the dedicated scam arm of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
We’ve all heard that ‘prevention is better than a cure’ so taking some time to protect yourself before a scammer comes your way is a no-brainer. Here are my top 5 things to do:
Please don’t think smart people don’t get caught up in scams because they do!! Scammers are very adept at looking legitimate and creating a sense of urgency. With many of us living busy lives and not taking the time to think critically, it’s inevitable that some of us will become victims. And remember if you’re offered a deal that just seems too good to be true, then it’s likely a scam! Hang up or press delete!!
The post How To Recognize An Online Scam appeared first on McAfee Blog.
This time of year, the air gets chillier and a bit cheerier for everyone … including online scammers. Holiday scams are a quick way to make a buck, and cybercriminals employ several holiday-themed schemes to weasel money and personally identifiable information (PII) from gift-givers and do-gooders.
Here are five common Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and holiday season shopping scams to watch out for this year, plus a few tips to help you stay safe online.
The holiday season often brings outpourings of generosity, and scammers kick their morals to the curb and use people’s kindness to make a profit. Social engineering is a tactic where a bad actor plays on people’s emotions to trick them into sharing personal or financial information. This holiday season, keep an eye out for strangers’ funding pages or social media posts asking for donations.
Artificial intelligence (AI) content generation tools like ChatGPT and Bard are likely to make these scams more believable than those in years past. While AI doesn’t understand human emotion, when given the right prompt, it can mimic it well. In one “60 Minutes” segment, Bard wrote a touching short story that made the presenter misty-eyed. Additionally, AI usually uses correct grammar and edits out typos, which used to be the hallmark of phishing attempts.
There are undoubtedly authentic stories of real people and families in need around the holidays. Be wary of any social media post that makes you feel an extreme emotion, in this case, sadness. Phishers want people to act before they think through their decision.
Are you a procrastinator? Watch out for last-minute shopping scams that are targeted at people who leave their gift buying until deep in December. As with anything else, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Shopping scams often take the form of phishing emails where criminals impersonate a well-known merchant.
While sales often have a quick timeline, don’t let that short timeline pressure you into making an impulsive decision. Phishing emails, when you take the time to inspect them, are usually easy to spot. The logos are often blurry and the tone of the message will seem “off.” Either it will sound very formal and impersonal or it will sound very informal and seem pushy.
During the holiday shopping season, your doorstep can be crowded with packages. Do you remember what’s in each one? Online criminals bank on the fact that you can’t quite keep track of what you’ve purchased.
Criminals try to lure people to download malware or divulge personal or account information with bogus order confirmation and delivery tracking number emails and texts. They’ll impersonate popular online retailers or postal services and claim to have information about your order if you click on their link; however, that link will redirect to a malicious site or download a malicious payload to your device.
This holiday shopping scam also dials in on people who’ve lost track of how many online orders they’ve made and the various shopping accounts in their name. Again, phishers will impersonate popular merchants and send “urgent” messages about suspending online accounts if payment isn’t received immediately. Similarly, phishers may also impersonate delivery services claiming that they’re (basically) holding your orders hostage until you pay up.
Gift cards are a standby present for the people on your list who are difficult to buy for or for people you don’t know too well but want to get them a small something. Whether the gift card is worth $5 or $500, an online scammer can steal the entire value through two techniques: a brute force attack or phishing. Known as gift card cracking, cybercriminals can take wild guesses at gift card codes and cash in the value for themselves by methodically guessing strings of numbers and letters and crossing their fingers for a match. Cybercriminals will also employ phishing emails, texts, or social media direct messages to trick people into divulging gift card information.
Luckily, there are several ways to sniff out a bad actor trying to cash in on your holiday spirit. Here are a few simple ways you can modify your online holiday shopping habits to keep your devices free from malware and your PII out of the hands of bad actors.
Cybercriminals hustle all year round, so it’s an excellent idea to invest in a security solution that gives you peace and mind and boosts your confidence in your privacy, identity, and device safety. McAfee+ is an excellent partner! It includes a VPN, safe browsing tool, credit lock, identity monitoring and remediation, and much more.
Happy shopping, happy holidays, and happy new year!
The post ’Tis the Season for Holiday Scams: 5 Common Schemes to Look Out For appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Even with the holidays in full swing, scammers won’t let up. In fact, it’s high time for some of their nastiest cons as people travel, donate to charities, and simply try to enjoy their time with friends and family.
Unfortunate as it is, scammers see this time of year as a tremendous opportunity to profit. While people focus giving to others, they focus on taking, propping up all manner of scams that use the holidays as a disguise. So as people move quickly about their day, perhaps with a touch of holiday stress in the mix, they hope to catch people off their guard with scams that wrap themselves in holiday trappings.
Yet once you know what to look for, they’re relatively easy to spot. The same scams roll out every year, sometimes changing in appearance yet remaining the same in substance. With a sharp eye, you can steer clear of them.
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the books, we can look forward to what’s next—a wave of post-holiday sales events that will likewise draw in millions of online shoppers. And just like those other big shopping days, bad actors will roll out a host of scams aimed at unsuspecting shoppers. Shopping scams take on several forms, which makes this a topic unto itself, one that we cover thoroughly in our Black Friday & Cyber Monday shopping scams blog. It’s worth a read if you haven’t done so already, as digs into the details of these scams and shows how you can avoid them.
However, the high-level advice for avoiding shopping scams is this: keep your eyes open. Deals that look too good to be true likely are, and shopping with retailers you haven’t heard of before requires a little bit of research to determine if their track record is clean. In the U.S., you can turn to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for help with a listing of retailers you can search simply by typing in their names. You can also use https://whois.domaintools.com to look up the web address of the shopping site you want to research. There you can see its history and see when it was registered. A site that was registered only recently may be far less reputable than one that’s been registered for some time.
Plenty of new tech makes its way into our homes during the holiday season. And some of that tech can be a little challenging to set up. Be careful when you search for help online. Many scammers will establish phony tech support sites that aim to steal funds and credit card information. Go directly to the product manufacturer for help. Often, manufacturers will offer free support as part of the product warranty, so if you see a site advertising support for a fee, that could be a sign of a scam.
Likewise, scammers will reach out to you themselves. Whether through links from unsolicited emails, pop-up ads from risky sites, or by spammy phone calls, these scammers will pose as tech support from reputable brands. From there, they’ll falsely inform you that there’s something urgently wrong with your device and that you need to get it fixed right now—for a fee. Ignore these messages and don’t click on any links or attachments. Again, if you have concerns about your device, contact the manufacturer directly.
With the holidays comes travel, along with all the online booking and ticketing involved. Scammers will do their part to cash in here as well. Travel scams may include bogus emails that pose as reputable travel sites telling you something’s wrong with your booking. Clicking a link takes you to a similarly bogus site that asks for your credit card information to update the booking—which then passes it along to the scammer so they can rack up charges in your name. Other travel scams involve ads for cut-rate lodging, tours, airfare, and the like, all of which are served up on a phony website that only exists to steal credit card numbers and other personal information.
Some of these scams can look quite genuine, even though they’re not. They’ll use cleverly disguised web addresses that look legitimate, but aren’t, so don’t click any links. If you receive notice about an issue with your holiday travel, contact the company directly to follow up. Also, be wary of ads with unusually deep discounts or that promise availability in an otherwise busy season or time. These could be scams, so stick with reputable booking sites or with the websites maintained by hotels and travel providers themselves.
Donations to an organization or cause that’s close to someone’s heart make for a great holiday gift, just as they offer you a way to give back during the holiday season. And you guessed it, scammers will take advantage of this too. They’ll set up phony charities and apply tactics that pressure you into giving. As with so many scams out there, any time an email, text, direct message, or site urges you into immediate action—take pause. Research the charity. See how long they’ve been in operation, how they put their funds to work, and who truly benefits from them.
Likewise, note that there some charities pass along more money to their beneficiaries than others. As a general rule of thumb, most reputable organizations only keep 25% or less of their funds for operations, while some less-than-reputable organizations keep up to 95% of funds, leaving only 5% for advancing the cause they advocate. In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a site full of resources so that you can make your donation truly count. Resources like Charity Watch and Charity Navigator, along with the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance can also help you identify the best charities.
The holidays also mean a flight of big-time sporting events, and with the advent of online betting in many regions scammers want to cash in. This scam works quite like shopping scams, where bad actors will set up online betting sites that look legitimate. They’ll take your bet, but if you win, they won’t pay out. Per the U.S. Better Business Bureau (BBB), the scam plays out like this:
“You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But as soon as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a cent. Scammers will make up various excuses. For example, they may claim technical issues or insist on additional identity verification. In other cases, they may require you to deposit even more money before you can withdraw your winnings. Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get your money off the site. And any personal information you shared is now in the hands of scam artists.”
You can avoid these sites rather easily. Stick with the online betting sites that are approved by your regional gambling commission. Even so, be sure to read the fine print on any promo offers that these sites advertise because even legitimate betting sites can freeze accounts and the funds associated with them based on their terms and conditions.
A complete suite of online protection software, such as McAfee+ Ultimate can offer layers of extra security. In addition to more private and secure time online with a VPN, identity monitoring, and password management, it includes web browser protection that can block malicious and suspicious links that could lead you down the road to malware or a phishing scam—which antivirus protection can’t do alone. Additionally, we offer $1M identity theft coverage and support from a recovery pro, just in case.
And because scammers use personal information such as email addresses and cell phone numbers to wage their attacks, other features like our Personal Data Cleanup service can scan high-risk data broker sites for your personal information and then help you remove it, which can help reduce spam, phishing attacks, and deny bad actors the information they need to commit identity theft.
That’s why they enjoy the holidays so much. With all our giving, travel, and charity in play, it’s prime time for their scams. Yet a little insight into their cons, along with some knowledge as to how they play out, you can avoid them.
Remember that they’re playing into the hustle and bustle of the season and that they’re counting on you to lower your guard more than you might during other times of the year. Keep an eye open for the signs, do a little research when it’s called for, and stick with reputable stores, charities, and online services. With a thoughtful pause and a second look, you can spare yourself the grief of a scam and fully enjoy your holidays.
The post Unwrapping Some of the Holiday Season’s Biggest Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
What color jersey will you be sporting this November and December? The World Cup is on its way to television screens around the world, and scores of fans are dreaming of cheering on their team at stadiums throughout Qatar. Meanwhile, cybercriminals are dreaming of stealing the personally identifiable information (PII) of fans seeking last-minute vacation and ticket deals.
Don’t let the threat of phishers and online scammers dampen your team spirit this World Cup tournament. Here are three common schemes cybercriminals will likely employ and a few tips to help you dribble around their clumsy offense and protect your identity, financial information, and digital privacy.
Phishers will be out in full force attempting to capitalize on World Cup fever. People wrapped up in the excitement may jump on offers that any other time of the year they would treat with skepticism. For example, in years past, fake contests and travel deals inundated email inboxes across the world. Some companies do indeed run legitimate giveaways, and cybercriminals slip in their phishing attempts among them.
If you receive an email or text saying that you’re the winner of a ticket giveaway, think back: Did you even enter a contest? If not, treat any “winner” notification with skepticism. It’s very rare for a company to automatically enter people into a drawing. Usually, companies want you to act – subscribe to a newsletter or engage with a social media post, for example – in exchange for your entry into their contest. Also, beware of emails that urge you to respond within a few hours to “claim your prize.” While it’s true that real contest winners must reply promptly, organized companies will likely give you at least a day if not longer to acknowledge receipt.
Traveling is rarely an inexpensive endeavor. Flights, hotels, rental cars, dining costs, and tourist attraction admission fees add up quickly. In the case of this year’s host country, Qatar, there’s an additional cost for American travelers: visas.
If you see package travel deals to the World Cup that seem too good to pass up … pass them up. Fake ads for ultra-cheap flights, hotels, and tickets may appear not only in your email inbox but also on your social media feed. Just because it’s an ad doesn’t mean it comes from a legitimate company. Legitimate travel companies will likely have professional-looking websites with clear graphics and clean website copy. Search for the name of the organization online and see what other people have to say about the company. If no search results appear or the website looks sloppy, proceed with caution or do not approach at all.
Regarding visas, be wary of anyone offering to help you apply for a visa. There are plenty of government-run websites that’ll walk you through the process, which isn’t difficult as long as you leave enough time for processing. Do not send your physical passport to anyone who is not a confirmed government official.
Even fans who’ve given up on watching World Cup matches in person aren’t out of the path of scams. Sites claiming to have crystal clear streams of every game could be malware spreaders in disguise. Malware and ransomware targeting home computers often lurk on sketchy sites. All it takes is a click on one bad link to let a cybercriminal or a virus into your device.
Your safest route to good-quality live game streams is through the official sites of your local broadcasting company or the official World Cup site. You may have to pay a fee, but in the grand scheme of things, that fee could be a lot less expensive than replacing or repairing an infected device.
Here’s an excellent rule to follow with any electronic correspondence: Never send anyone your passwords, routing and account number, passport information, or Social Security Number. A legitimate organization will never ask for your password, and it’s best to communicate any sensitive financial or identifiable information over the phone, not email or text as they can easily fall into the wrong hands. Also, do not wire large sums of money to someone you just met online.
Don’t let scams ruin your enjoyment of this year’s World Cup! With these tips, you should be able to avoid the most common schemes but to boost your confidence in your online presence, consider signing up for McAfee+. Think of McAfee+ as the ultimate goalkeeper who’ll block any cybercriminals looking to score on you. With identity monitoring, credit lock, unlimited VPN and antivirus, and more, you can surf safely and with peace of mind.
The post Watch Out for These 3 World Cup Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
An old banking scam has a new look. And it’s making the rounds again.
Recently Bank of America alerted its customers of the “Pay Yourself Scam,” where scammers use phony fraud alerts and trick their victims into giving them access to their online banking accounts. It’s a form of phishing attack, and according to Bank of America it goes something like this:
The good news is that you can avoid this attack rather easily. If you receive a text or call about a possible fraud alert, don’t respond. (Scammers can easily “spoof” or fake caller ID information nowadays. So even if it appears that the number looks legitimate, it may not be after all.) Instead, contact your bank directly using the contact information on your debit or credit card. This way, you’ll know you’re speaking with the proper representatives about the matter.
Of course, this scam isn’t the only scam making the rounds these days. Whether it’s with some form of phishing attack, stealing passwords on public Wi-Fi, or malware that spies on your keystrokes, scammers use plenty of tricks to crack into online bank accounts. Yet with a few precautions and a sharp eye, you have several ways you can protect yourself.
Online protection software today goes far beyond antivirus. It can protect your privacy, identity, and your online accounts as well. McAfee+ Ultimate provides our most comprehensive coverage with features that monitor the dark web and sketchy data broker sites for your personal information, identity theft and ransomware protection, and identity restoration services should the unexpected happen—all along with our award-winning antivirus protection. In all, it protects you, not just your devices. Together, it offers your strongest line of defense in the face of hackers, scammers, and thieves.
Legitimate banks will never pressure, harass, or cajole you into action. If you get a message that strikes an aggressive tone, assume it’s fraudulent. Other things legitimate banks will never do include:
Earlier, I mentioned contacting your bank directly to ensure you’re speaking to a proper representative. Another way you can go directly to the source is to use your bank’s website or app to check up on your accounts. Once again, don’t click any links in a text or email. Just go to your bank’s website or app to check your account. You can make sure you have your bank’s official app by visiting the Google Play or Apple’s App Store and looking at the information section to ensure that it was indeed developed by your bank—not a copycat.
Strong and unique passwords for each of your online accounts can help keep hackers at bay. With data breaches occurring so often, updating them regularly is important too. Yet with all the accounts we keep, that can mean a lot of work. However, a password manager can create those passwords for you and safely store them as well. Comprehensive security software will include one.
Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of defense on top of your username and password. It adds in the use of a special one-time-use code to access your account, usually sent to you via email or to your phone by text or a phone call. In all, it combines something you know, like your password, with something you have, like your smartphone. Together, that makes it tougher for a crook to hack your account. If any of your accounts support two-factor authentication, the few extra seconds it takes to set up is more than worth the big boost in protection you’ll get.
When you log onto public Wi-Fi, potentially anyone can see your internet activity—and that includes things like entering your username and password. For that reason, only log into your bank account with public Wi-Fi if you’re using a virtual private network (VPN). McAfee Secure VPN protects your privacy by turning on automatically for unsecured networks. Your data is encrypted so it can’t be read by prying eyes. The VPN also keeps your online activity and physical location private and secure from advertisers.
Keeping an eye on your bills and statements as they come in can help you spot unusual activity on your accounts. A credit monitoring service can do that one better by keeping daily tabs on changes to your credit report. While you can do this manually, there are limitations. First, it involves logging into each bureau and doing some digging of your own. Second, there are limitations as to how many free credit reports you can pull each year. A service does that for you and without impacting your credit score.
Depending on your location and plan, McAfee’s credit monitoring allows you to look after your credit score and the accounts within it to see fluctuations and help you identify unusual activity, all in one place, checking daily for signs of identity theft.
When a fraud notification pops up on your phone, you can almost feel your stomach drop. Hackers and scammers play off that fear. They use it to get you to act—and to act quickly. Taking a moment to scrutinize these messages and following up directly with your bank can help you steer clear of their tricks. Likewise, putting up a strong defense with comprehensive online protection software can make you safer still. In the meantime, keep your eyes open for this “Pay Yourself Scam” and other scams like it. It’s certainly not the first of its kind, and it won’t be the last.
The post Steer Clear of the “Pay Yourself Scam” That’s Targeting Online Bank Accounts appeared first on McAfee Blog.
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