Cyber imposters can be alarmingly convincing. Unlike the real world, the internet makes it easier for these criminals to disguise their true identities. As a result, celebrity impersonations, website spoofing, and similar scams have rapidly risen in numbers over the recent past.
According to one study, as many as 78% of people encounter brand impersonation. This single piece of statistic is enough to demonstrate the prevalence of imposter schemes. So, understanding how you can avoid them is crucial for ensuring a safe online experience for you and your loved ones.
Online Impersonation Scams Explained
The internet gives you access to countless platforms, tools, and services—from websites and social media to emails and online ads. Any one of these mediums could expose you to imposter fraud at any given time.
But who do criminals typically impersonate? Often, reputed brands and businesses. Scammers could also assume the identities of well-known individuals, including A-listers, athletes, business figures, and similarly recognizable people. With the popularity of AI and deepfakes, Keanu Reeves, Oprah Winfrey, and many others have become the subject of celebrity imposter schemes.
The fact is, popular names add credibility and make it easier to build trust. Besides, you are more likely to engage and accommodate requests when you are star-struck.
Having said that, impersonating lesser-known individuals is not unheard of either. For instance, criminals could hack into the social media accounts of regular users, too, and use them to target others for their fraudulent ploys. A genuine profile with a reasonable history and regular activity allows them to engage with their victims without raising suspicion.
Types of imposter fraud
Impersonation scams are often highly complex in design. They can take various forms, with elaborate schemes to lure you in.
Here are a few examples of frequently observed online scams that rely on impersonation techniques.
- Imposter websites that imitate popular brands to steal customer credit card information.
- Fraudulent IRS emails that request bank account details on the pretext of a tax refund.
- Celebrity imposters that reach out to victims on social media, asking for charitable donations or offering cryptocurrency-based investment opportunities.
- Dating site scams that use stolen profiles to befriend innocent people.
- Emails that impersonate banks to persuade customers into updating their account details on spoofed websites. These are designed to commit financial fraud by stealing online account login credentials.
- Ads that imitate well-known retailers. They can offer fake discounts on spoofed websites and steal money from unsuspecting victims.
How to Avoid Online Impersonation Fraud
The sophisticated and diverse nature of imposter schemes makes them a very real online threat. However, avoiding them is easier when you know how to identify their advances.
Here’s what you should keep an eye on:
Typos and grammatical errors
Websites, emails, adverts, and messages from reputed individuals and organizations hardly ever contain spelling and grammar mistakes. They will be professionally designed with proper language use. This is why repeated errors are often a sign of fraud.
Inconsistencies in contact details
Contact numbers and email addresses on emails, messages, and other communications sent by well-known organizations should match the official ones provided on their websites. You can easily verify this by comparing contact details. If you want further reassurance, conduct a reverse number search on PhoneHistory.
Unusual or unexpected requests
These can include a sudden email from a friend who claims to be stranded in a faraway country with no access to money. They may ask for an urgent wire transfer to purchase an air ticket so they can get back home safely. Or, you may receive a threatening email from the IRS about an overdue tax payment, which you have already paid. It may insist you immediately transfer money to a provided account in order to avoid legal action.
Any such unusual requests should raise alarm bells, especially when they involve payments via wire transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, and other untraceable methods.
If you suspect fraud, avoid responding. Instead, contact the relevant business or individual on a verified number or official hotline and inform them about suspicious communications.
Links and downloads
Impersonation scams could also use links and downloads to infect your devices with malware. These malicious software programs can track your activities and extract confidential data.
You may encounter such virus-laden links and downloads on imposter websites. Without realizing the site is spoofed, you could invite trouble with a single click.
They can also find you through emails, online ads, social media messages, and a variety of other methods. All these allow criminals to find their way into your personal devices by mimicking people and organizations familiar to you.
Recently opened and inactive accounts
If you are communicating with a stranger on a dating app, social media platform, or any other networking site, checking their profiles is important before sharing personal information or taking communications offline.
A short account history, fewer followers, and little to no posts, comments, and engagement are dead giveaways that something is amiss.
Undue urgency
Most imposters will be in a hurry to get what they want and move on to their next victim. So, urgency and impatience can often serve as warning signs of fraud.
Criminals could also use a range of emotional triggers to pressure potential victims into responding to their requests. They may, for instance, use fear tactics to get you to transfer money. Or, they could offer a limited-time deal to persuade you into an impulsive purchase.
A Final Thought
Online impersonation scams are steadily rising and have become even more sophisticated thanks to AI and deepfake technology. The cost of such activities can range from financial losses to stolen identities.
But remember, it is not just the victims who stand to lose in the event of an imposter fraud. The businesses and individuals the scammers have mimicked also face multiple risks—from reputational damage to compromised data. So, a proactive and concerted effort is imperative to tackle these fraudulent schemes.
If you ever encounter an online imposter scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission and alert the person or organization that was impersonated. Also, raise awareness among as many people as possible, from your family and friends to social media communities and forums.
