How to spot fake Christmas deals
Hackers can take advantage of times like Christmas to send out fake offers. Sometimes what they are looking for is steal personal data, others sell a fake product. Sometimes they could even collect bank details when we make a transaction on a site created just to scam. What to do to detect false offers at Christmas?
See the provenance
The first thing is to analyze very well where this supposed offer comes from. Did you get it through WhatsApp or social networks? Have you seen it in a profile that is not trustworthy? Cyber criminals can use different methods to sneak scams of this type. Seeing well how that supposed offer has come to you can be key.
Never trust unknown profiles on social networks like Facebook. Also, do not trust the messages that you receive via WhatsApp and that seem robotic, generic and that may indicate that they have sent it to many at once.
Take a good look at the website
Of course, another key factor is take a good look at the website. You can analyze the domain name, appearance, see if it is HTTPS, if they offer legal information on the page, etc. All this will help us to have more information and know if it really is a reliable page or has been created just to scam.
Be especially careful with the URL. Take a good look at any detail. Sometimes cybercriminals create a website that is almost a copy of an original, but the domain name is different. Observe any small detail that may raise doubts.
Consult on the Internet
You also have the option to check the Internet and see if that Christmas offer is a scam or really something authentic. You may see comments from other users about that website, that product and also see evaluations that they have made. That will help you not fall into the trap and buy something that is fake.
Today simply by doing a Google search we will find a lot of information of all kinds. You will be able to see many comments that other people have previously left.
Read the specifications well
Of course, one thing you can do is read the specs of that product. Sometimes we are not facing a scam as such, but what they sell is something very different from what we expect. This is especially the case with electronics, for example when buying a mobile phone online.
Take a good look at the specifications, the name of the product to verify that it is what you expect to obtain and do not fall into traps of this type. Sometimes they put a similar name, but then you see the features and you find a product that has nothing to do with what you think you are buying.
In short, these are some tips to avoid false offers for Christmas. The objective is to be able to buy safely online and not have problems. Detecting whether a website is reliable is key in these cases.
