Top 5 Phishing Scams of the Week: Freemans, AT&T, Christmas iPhone 13, Trust Wallet, and Benz
Author: Trend Micro
This article is from Trend Micro.
This week we’ve found 5 phishing scams in circulation, including a fake Freemans order confirmation, an AT&T smartwatch survey, Christmas iPhone 13 giveaways, a fake Trust Wallet security alert email, and Mercedes-Benz scams. Spotted any yourself?
Phishing Scams
Impersonating famous brands, scammers send out fake text messages and emails containing phishing links, aiming to entice you into opening the malicious links with various excuses.
The phishing links lead to online survey pages that state you can claim a gift by completing an online questionnaire. After you fill out the survey, you are prompted to enter personal information, such as credit card numbers, before your “gift” can be delivered. In other instances, the links lead to fake log-in pages that seem to belong to various brands. These pages require you to submit log-in credentials to change your settings or whatever other task the scammers have said that you need to complete.
The scammers’ ultimate goal is to steal your information — they will record sensitive information you enter on these fake pages and use the data to commit cybercrimes: e.g., hack into your bank account, withdraw money, or steal your identity. Don’t let them!
AT&T Gift SMS Scam
We’ve written about fake AT&T text messages several times, and now there’s a new wave of AT&T phishing attacks. We’ve detected over 3000 fake AT&T messages claiming that you can get a gift via an attached link because you’ve paid your bill for November:
ATT Free Msg: November bill is paid. Thanks, Here’s a little gift for you: <URL>
Source: Reddit
The phishing link takes you to a fake AT&T online survey page that grants you a free Smart Health Watch:
As mentioned above, you will be asked to enter credit card information. (Of course, don’t do so!)
Freemans PayPal Phishing Email
Recently, a lot of people have received emails from Freemans, a famous online fashion retail company, that say the individual has placed an order (one which they didn’t know about). These emails are a SCAM!
The scammers instruct victims to click on the embedded button if they want to cancel the order, and it leads to a fake PayPal log-in page (it’s a phishing page):
They will record the sensitive data you enter here, which will enable them to take control of your PayPal account. Be careful!
Remember, NEVER clicking links or attachments from unknown sources is the key to cybersecurity. You can use Trend Micro Check to combat scams with ease (it’s 100% FREE):
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Christmas iPhone 13 Survey Scam
Yes, iPhone 13 survey scams are often the top scams of the week! This time they feature Christmas giveaways; scammers prompt you to click on the phishing link to “reserve” your iPhone 13:
Christmas Came EarIy! Your lphone 13’s being deIivered by, 12/9. Must be reserved by today <URL>
The links lead to fake online survey pages. In the end, you’ll need to enter a delivery address and credit card details to claim the gift — again, scammers can record the credentials and use them to steal your money!
Trust Wallet Security Alert Email Scam
“Your wallet will be suspended!” Scammers often send fake security alerts/account notifications in the name of famous bank or cryptocurrency trading companies, luring you into clicking on the attached link to verify accounts, change passwords, etc.
Recently there have been many fake Trust Wallet emails saying that you have to visit the site to secure your wallet:
You will be taken to a fake Trust Wallet website where you are asked to submit log-in information. You know what’s next: your credentials will end up in scammer’s hands — it can be impossible to take your money back, for cryptocurrency is designed as decentralized and untraceable. Don’t fall for the scam!
Benz Lottery Email Scam
Posing as Mercedes Benz, scammers are falsely claiming that you’ve won a prize in their Christmas lucky draw campaign: you can get a brand-new Benz and $4.5 million. To claim the gift, you have to provide personal information, including home address, phone number, occupation, etc. Don’t fall for it!
How to Protect Yourself
Double-check the sender’s mobile number / email address.
Free gifts or prizes are always a major red flag.
Always go to the official website / application instead of using links from unknown sources.
Browse the web safely with Trend Micro Check.
Add an extra layer of protection to your device with Trend Micro Maximum Security. Its Web Threat Protection, Ransomware Protection, Anti-phishing, and Anti-spam Protection can help you combat scams and cyberattacks. Click the button below to give it a try:
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