With the holiday shopping season kicking off, the GNWT is reminding Northerners to be wary when shopping online.
Black Friday is coming very soon, and online shopping scams can use this time to take advantage of those who are unaware of their practices. A well known fraud network known as SilkSpecter is credited with creating more than 4,700 different schemes by impersonating well-known brands. The dummy sites can offer huge discounts to lure in victims in an attempt to steal credit card details and other personal information.
In order to stay safe from these rug-pulls, there are a few steps that can be followed.
First, verify the page that is being used. Fraudulent shopping websites will usually have misspellings in the URL.
If a deal seems far too good to be true, than it likely is. Many cyber criminals will use eye catching lures to draw people in.
Try to avoid using payment methods that seem unfamiliar. When checking out, make sure to use a method that is known and trusted.
If a website seems unfamiliar, check for reviews. User ratings and reviews can contain useful information, and can also reveal whether or not the service is trustworthy.
In the event that a scammer has successfully duped a buyer, it is advised to contact one’s bank to try and get ahead of the culprit and halt any unauthorized uses of the stolen information. Make sure to change any relevant passwords that may have been compromised. Report the incident to local authorities, as they can help to inform the rest of the public that a certain scam is impacting the community.
