Everything is on the Internet; everything under and beyond the sun. The Internet became the center of our personal connected universe. From online shopping to social media, Internet allows us to connect, communicate, and access information easily.
We rely heavily on the Internet for our day-to-day activities. This poses a perfect moment for malicious content creators to cast their nets. Behold the rise of fake and fraudulent websites. These websites are carefully designed to trick unsuspecting users into giving their sensitive information or making financial transactions. These fraudulent websites have many faces and forms; they can harm you with identity theft, financial loss, malware infection, and reputation damage.
Fraudulent websites are often created with the intention of stealing personal or financial information or tricking users into downloading harmful software. It is important to be aware of the dangers posed by fraudulent websites and to take steps to protect yourself against them.
How to Spot Fraudulent Websites
- Check the domain name closely. Fraudulent websites often use a domain name that looks or sounds similar to a well-known brand or product name but with slight variations or misspellings.
- Look for a padlock icon and "https" in the URL. This assures that the website uses encryption to protect your data.
- Check for spelling mistakes, grammar issues, and unusual text formatting, as these can be signs of a fraudulent website.
- Be cautious of messages that are urgent, threatening, or seem too good to be true, as this is a common tactic used by scammers.
- Look for contact information on the website, such as a physical address, phone number, and email, as legitimate websites will usually provide this information.
How to protect yourself.
- Keep your browser and operating system up to date.
- Use strong and unique passwords and multi-factor authenticator. Use a password manager to securely store and manage your passwords.
- Be cautious. Do not click on links or download attachments from unknown or suspicious sources. Use the Trend Micro Toolbar, it will warn you about security risks with the websites you try to visit.
- Review and adjust the privacy settings of your social media accounts and other online profiles. Use a Privacy Scanner to scan your web browsers for privacy risks to ensure your personal information stays private and protected.
- Install anti-malware software and keep it up to date: Anti-malware software can detect and remove malicious software, including malware that may have been downloaded from fraudulent websites.
- For Desktop Internet Browsing protection:
- For Mobile Internet Browsing Protection:
How can I report fake sites?
- Report the site to the relevant authorities: Depending on the nature of the fraud, you may need to report the site to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), or other relevant agencies.
- Report the site to your browser or search engine: Many browsers and search engines have mechanisms in place to report phishing and other fraudulent sites.
- Warn others: Share the fraudulent website's URL and any relevant details on social media, online forums, or other platforms to help warn others about the scam.
Keep Safe with Trend Micro Check
- NEVER use links or buttons from unknown sources! Use Trend Micro Check to detect scams with ease: Trend Micro Check is an all-in-one browser extension and mobile app for detecting scams, phishing attacks, malware, and dangerous links — and it’s FREE!
