Halloween Scams

It is a spooky #FraudFriday. From phony sales to deceptive websites, scammers are ready to trick instead of treat.  Don’t let scammers spoil your Halloween fun, look out for fake costume sites, delivery failure notices, and customs clearance text scams that are sure to give you a fright 👀👻🦇🕸

 

 Beware!

Never shop on a website that doesn’t begin with https:// in the URL field or doesn’t have a green padlock. This means if you enter in your payment information, it will be transmitted unencrypted (in plaintext) across the Internet!

👀 Judge by looks!

Legitimate businesses take pride in their website designs and put a lot of effort into them. If a website doesn’t have polished layouts, has information placed in random spots, or just overall looks sketchy, then it’s more than likely a fake website that a hacker has thrown together!

👻 Unmask the truth!

Use third-party tools to check for the website’s reputation and history. There are many helpful online resources to help you determine if a website is legit or not. Here are a few of our favorites!

  • Google Safe Browsing
  • ScamAdviser
  • VirusTotal

🎃 Don’t get cursed!

Finally, if you’re still in doubt, play it safe and move along! It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

 

 

Stay cybersafe out there, and may your online adventures be more treats than tricks! 🍬