Apple, Costco, Airbnb, and Booking.com: Top Scams of the Week
Author: Trend Micro
This week, we’ve found lots of scams in which scammers are impersonating famous brands, including Apple, Costco, Airbnb, and Booking.com. Would you have been able to spot all these scams?
Phishing Scams
Impersonating trusted brands, scammers love to spread phishing links via text message or email that lead to phishing sites designed to steal your personally identifiable information (PII): email address, credit card number, Social Security number, and more. No matter what false pretenses scammers employ, their goal is to use your PII to commit cybercrimes, such as draining your bank account or stealing your identity.
Most often, scammers create fake online survey forms and use various incentives like sales campaigns or free gifts to try to lure you into revealing your PII. Below are some examples:
Apple Survey Scam
Posing as Apple, scammers pretend that you need to manage the delivery of a gift by clicking on the attached link:
If you click on the link, you will be taken to an online form that states you’ve won a gift:
Apple Survey Scam (1/2)
Scammers will then instruct you to fill out the form and provide lots of PII, including a delivery address and credit card details. Scammers will record this PII and use it for their own good. Don’t let them!
Apple Survey Scam (2/2)
Block Scam Texts for FREE
To protect yourself from scam texts, check out Trend Micro Check — our 100% FREE mobile app that blocks scam and spam texts from entering your inbox.
Not only will it block unwanted texts, but Trend Micro Check can also keep you safe from malicious links on all your messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, Tinder, etc.) and shield you from dangerous sites as you browse the web. Download today for free (available for Android and iOS).
Costco Survey Scam
Besides text messages, scammers also often send tricky phishing emails. This week we’ve detected a lot of fake Costco emails with bogus survey links. Have you seen this before?
The button will take you to a fake Costco survey page where you could end up exposing all your PII. Don’t fall for the scam!
Fake booking websites – Airbnb and Booking.com
If you’re planning a trip this summer, chances are that you might need to make reservations on booking websites — but are you sure the websites you visit are legitimate? We reported on copycat Airbnb and Booking.com websites months ago, and this week we’ve detected even more.
Sample URLs of fake booking websites:
- shrtlink[.]net
- securepropertycheck[.]com
- airbnb[.]ld83528[.]ru
- booking[.]upgrade-account[.]com
Note: The legitimate web addresses are Airbnb.com and Booking.com. Keep an eye out!
Again, scammers could access your PII if you enter it onto these fake websites, such as your full name, address, phone number, and credit/debit card info. With such information, cybercriminals can commit any number of other crimes, including identity theft. Be careful!
Tips to Stay Safe Online
- Double-check the sender’s mobile number and email address. Even if it seems legitimate, think twice before you take any action.
- Free gifts are often a red flag.
- Only use official websites and apps. Never click on dubious links!
- Check if any of your PII has been leaked and secure your social media accounts using Trend Micro ID Protection.
- Finally, add an extra layer of protection to your devices with Trend Micro Maximum Security. Its Web Threat Protection, Ransomware Protection, Anti-phishing, and Anti-spam Protection will help you combat scams and cyberattacks.
If you’ve found this article an interesting and/or helpful read, please SHARE it with friends and family to help keep the online community secure and protected. Also, please consider leaving a comment or LIKE below.
This article was published in collaboration with Trend Micro.
Image source: unsplash.com
Report a Scam!
Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!
Scam Categories
Help & Info
Popular Stories
As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu
So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking. If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal If you used PayPal, you have a strong chance of getting your money back if you were scammed. On their website, you can file a dispute within 180 calendar days of your purchase. Conditions to file a dispute: The simplest situation is that you ordered from an online store and it has not arrived. In this case this is what PayPal states: "If your order never shows up and the seller can't provide proof of shipment or delivery, you'll get a full refund. It's that simple." The scammer has sent you a completely different item. For example, you ordered a PlayStation 4, but instead received only a Playstation controller. The condition of the item was misrepresented on the product page. This could be the