The holiday season is fast approaching and more shopping often comes with it. Thankfully the internet has revolutionized how we shop making it quicker, easier… and riskier. With great convenience comes great risk on the internet. Cyber scammers are always figuring out new tricks to exploit unsuspecting users.
One common tactic? The “Free Gift” scam, where they tempt buyers with a to-good-to-be-true offer masking their attempt to steal your information or money.
Lets break down who to recognize and avoid these traps with three key strategies.
1. Spot The Scam
Cyber scammers thrive on urgency. Often included with the “free gift” scam includes enticing language and limited-time offers to lure victims into acting without thinking. They want you to act now on the “deal” and ask questions latter.
a. Check for Secure Websites:
Knowing you are on a secure or trusted website is one of the first steps in ensuring you aren’t scammed during the holiday shopping rush. Here are three things to look for to check your safety.
- Look for the “https” at the beginning of the url. It indicates the site is encrypted and protecting your data.
- There is always a padlock icon in the browser’s address bar- missing padlock or “https” is a red flag of a non-secure website.
- Another simple check is looking for a valid SSL Certificate. Many browsers will notify you if a site is lacking one.
b. Beware of Suspicious Links:
Don’t click on every link that you come across! That is a recipe for disaster. It may look like a site you normally visit- but links can be made to look very similar to legit ones. Don’t get caught up in the click now for a limited time offer dialogue.
- Avoid clicking on links from unknown senders or unverified websites. These can masquerade as a site you are familiar with but is actually designed to steal your credentials.
- If you are interested in an offer instead of clicking on the link type the original website’s url into your browser to ensure you are on a legitimate website. If the deal doesn’t exist on the official website you know to steer clear.
2. Research Before You Click
As mentioned above just because a website looks professional doesn’t mean it’s trustworthy. Scammers make their living on mimicking legitimate businesses to steal your information and money.
a. Investigate the Seller:
The first piece of homework to do on a deal is to know exactly who the vendor is you are working with.
- Search online reviews and forums to see what others are saying. If the offer is really a scam chances are someone will have flagged it as a scam. Even if it isn’t a scam but just a bad deal you can figure that out with a quick google search.
- Check for the companies contact information. Just as transparency conveys credibility the lack of it should be cause for alarm. A lack of contact details could mean they aren’t wanting to communicate with you.
b. Understand the Fine Print:
Don’t offer up your data for services or products without looking at the fine print of the contracts you are signing up for.
- Terms and conditions are there for a reason- to inform. Often times scammers will hide the true cost of the “Free Gift” in the fine print, turning the gift into an expensive mistake.
- Any offers asking for personal information should almost certainly be avoided. If its a minor transaction and its asking for bank information or social security numbers know that any legitimate service won’t be asking for these details.
3. Strengthen Your Defenses
While awareness is a crucial, in the moment defense, prevention starts before you ever enter the internet. You need to secure your accounts and personal information before it is exposed to the ecosphere scammers could be present.
a. Use Strong Authentication:
A strong password is great- but its also only one line of defense that can be easily broken given the worst circumstances.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all accounts to add an extra layer of security. This ensures that even when a password is compromised the scammer still can’t access your data without being able to compromise the secondary verification.
- Stop. Using. The. Same. Password. The same password for everything doesn’t just help you but helps those that are intent on taking everything from you. Do yourself a favor a get a password manager and then make strong, different, passwords for each account.
b. Share Knowledge and Stay Updated:
Another way to strengthen you defenses is to make sure those closest to you are educated and protecting their data as well.
- Educate friends and family about common scams and how to avoid them. Just like looking up potential scams on google- sharing awareness is a collective shield against scammers.
- Stay informed about recent and common cyber threats by following reputable cybersecurity blogs or outlets.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, holds true in many aspects of life. That is especially true on the internet where people can hide in anonymity. Cybersecurity isn’t just about software- it’s about staying vigilant, skeptical, and proactive. By recognizing the signs of a scam, researching, and securing your online presence, you can avoid falling prey to “free gift” traps.
Help protect others by spreading the word about online scams and by sharing this article! The more informed we are as a community, the harder it becomes for scammers to succeed.
