Cybercriminals love a good party. From Mother's Day to Christmas, they're on the prowl whenever a holiday comes around. That's why you need to be careful to avoid cyber scams.
With the huge increase in the volume of online purchases, criminals know that this is a good time to strike. But some good practices can ensure that you are safer when giving your mother a gift.
In this article, we'll give you some tips on how to avoid cyber scams on Mother's Day. Check them out!
Why do cyber scams work?
Browsing online via smartphones and tablets can help consumers stay on top of retail offers without having to face long queues at physical stores. However, cybercriminals know that consumers are more likely to visit these retail sites on festive dates, such as Mother's Day. And when it comes to online shopping, scams are constantly evolving.
There are numerous reasons why cyber scams work so well, starting with the scammers' ability to play mind tricks on their victims. What's more, there are several ways to take the bait: accessing public Wi-Fi, entering a fake website or clicking on a link in an email promising exclusive offers for Mother's Day. It's impossible to list them all. Scammers can also use tempting offers, such as complimentary gifts, to lure users.
It's important to note that cybercriminals aren't just after your credit card details or financial information. Many of them are trying to gain access to your email, WhatsApp or social media accounts - and use them to scam your network of friends.
The importance of distrusting what is "too good to be true"
Undoubtedly, the use of tricks to deceive people and gain access to their data - a practice known as phishing - is a major threat to users browsing for good Mother's Day gifts.
According to a report published by Kaspersky, one in five Brazilians suffered at least one attempted phishing attack in 2020. The statistic places Brazil as the world leader in scams in this category.
With the evolution of the internet and the media, there are countless ways in which scammers can exploit this: fake ads, sending emails with fraudulent links, fake profiles on social networks, among others.
If the worst comes to the worst, you'll end up with malware getting onto your device, which can wreak all kinds of havoc - from stealing your confidential data to locking your device. Scammers tend to be careless and are looking for a high volume of victims, so always keep your eyes open for anything suspicious, such as prices that don't make sense (you're probably not buying a state-of-the-art TV for R$500), grammatical errors or suspicious searches.
10 tips to avoid cyber scams on Mother's Day
Just being vigilant and wary of unrealistic offers is a great way to avoid cyber scams on Mother's Day. And here are a few more tips to help you stay protected:
1. Always check that the offer really exists on the company's website and/or social networks;
If you come across an extremely tempting offer, one way to avoid falling for scams is to check the brand's other communication channels, such as social media, to see if the promotion is really being advertised.
2. Give preference to buying from reliable sites with a reputation in the market;
According to research by PayPal and BigDataCorp, in 2021, online commerce registered more than 1.59 million virtual stores. This scenario shows that the trend towards online shopping is getting stronger and stronger, and consumers, more than ever, have an infinite range of options from their computer or cell phone. But this quantity of offers also requires attention to avoid falling prey to scams. As well as opting for websites and e-commerces that are already well known in the market, some alternatives to check if the page is reliable are to check the store's reputation on sites such as Reclame Aqui and to use Google Face Browsing, for example.
3. Be wary of tempting offers that seem unrealistic;
There are promotions, and there are unrealistic offers. Therefore, to protect yourself from scams, common sense is also essential - especially if you want to give your mother a high value-added good. If you want to buy a television, for example, you should research the average market price. Any offer that differs too much from the average should be suspicious. Remember: a good promotion is one that makes sense within the reality of the market.
4. Don't click on links in suspicious emails - even if they come from a trusted sender;
Always check the sender's address before clicking. Fake emails usually have different domains to real e-commerces and may also have Portuguese errors. Be vigilant!
5. Keep an eye out for fake websites posing as another company;
There are a lot of fake websites that imitate real ones, especially those of big brands. That's why a good way to avoid falling for scams is to keep an eye out for certain signs, such as a different character in the website's URL and mistakes in Portuguese.
6. Check the company's social networks;
The logic is simple: if the store is running a super promotion, it wants as many people as possible to know about it, right? Consequently, social media would be used to make the offer more visible. If the social networks don't mention any action along these lines, be wary!
7. Keep your antivirus up to date;
Cybercriminals' tactics are improved daily, as are antivirus programs. That's why you should keep your antivirus activated and up to date to ensure greater security when browsing. You can select the automatic update option, or update at least once a week.
8. Don't register your data on sites you don't know and trust;
Data theft is one of the objectives of cybercriminals on commemorative dates such as Mother's Day. That's why your personal data should be protected, and only provided when you really know and trust the site in question.
9. Check the URL address carefully for any typos or inaccuracies;
Fake websites have some traces that can be observed by those who are careful to analyze the signs that indicate a scam. URL addresses similar to the original e-commerce site, but with subtle changes to the store's name are one example. If you notice any inaccuracies, leave the site and enter the real e-commerce.
10. When shopping in a public place, use your 3G/4G connection instead of public Wi-Fi.
Public internet networks are more susceptible to attacks by cybercriminals. Criminals intercept your access and thus gain access to sensitive data. For this reason, whenever you are in a public place and need to use your internet banking or make purchases, give preference to your 3G/4G connection.
Did you like the tips for avoiding cyber scams on Mother's Day? Do you have any questions? Leave a comment!