In these times, scams on the internet are the order of the day. And although we may think that sites as important as Facebook could be exempt from them, the truth is that it is not.
As has been alerted by the Internet User Security Office (OSI) belonging to the National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE), there are fake stores on Facebook They use the "hook" to offer incredible discounts on very popular brands. The objective, as you can imagine, is none other than that of steal your payment and bank details.
Watch out for "awesome deals" on Facebook!
If yesterday we told you about the existence of a malware on Android that steals your card data, today we have to tell you about another threat online and that, this time, makes all users potential victims, and not just those who have an Android phone. It is not malware, however the criminals who have devised it persecute the same objective: to get hold of your personal, bank and payment details, and leave your account in the red.
According to the information provided by the Internet Security Office, these cybercriminals have mounted fake stores They publish through advertisements and publications on the social network Facebook. Using as a hook incredible (and fake) discounts In fashion products and accessories from leading brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, these criminals attract their potential victims in such a way that, when they make the purchase, they steal your payment details, make unauthorized charges And, of course, they do not send any of the purchased products.
In the image above we can find one of the most striking examples communicated by the Internet User Security Office (OSI) of INCIBE. It is a fake shop calling itself «Fashion Sale 2018» and that is dedicated to apparently selling footwear of the Tommy Hilfiger brand with a sixty percent discount on all models, whatever.
Obviously, this strategy, which is exactly the same as that used in legal commerce, arouses the interest of users, attracted by the possibility of obtaining top-brand products at much more advantageous prices than usual. Thus, once the user clicks on the link included in the advertisement or in the publication distributed by Facebook, they will be taken to the false web page of a shop that is also false. There, it will operate as if it were a legal store, however, once the operation is carried out, payment and personal data will remain in the hands of cybercriminals. After that, they may charge our bank account or credit card higher than our purchase and / or make other unauthorized charges. Furthermore, it is clear that we will not receive any product. The only thing we will receive will be the surprise that our account balance drops without knowing why.
How to avoid being a victim of this and other scams that haunt us on the internet
Unfortunately, there is no infallible measure against this type of scam and fraud, and whoever says otherwise is simply lying. However, minimizing the chances of being victims of cybercriminals is much simpler than it seems, and for this we must implement something as basic as common sense and logic, as well as some additional measures that will give us greater security:
- "Distrust" is the key word. Be suspicious of any store and advertisement you have never heard of. Look for customer reviews and make sure it is real and reliable.
- "Nobody gives anything away". Sometimes it is possible to find real incredible deals, however, too low prices on overpriced products are the first indication of possible scam.
- Do not enter your personal or payment data on the web that lack digital certificate or HTTPS.
- Sloppy design? Badly worded texts and wrong translations?
- Make sure the page contains the actual store data: NIF, physical address, telephone ...
- And since we cannot avoid the risk one hundred percent, get yourself a prepaid card for your online purchases.
If you suspect any online store or business, notify the Internet Security Office (OSI) here.