Beware of Cyber Scams This Valentine's Day

For 18-year old Priyanka, Valentine’s Day has always been about sending flowers, romantic greeting cards, and chocolates for her love Rohan, who is employed in another city.  However, little did she know that when she placed the order, she was caught in a trap set by cyber criminals. She had unknowingly shared her bank account details with cyber thieves.

Valentine’s day is increasingly becoming the most awaited day not only for lovers, but also for cyber criminals. From bogus gift cards, fake contests, and fake websites, cyber criminals are not leaving any stone unturned to target the unsuspecting shoppers.

In view of threats lurking this Valentine’s season, security firms, eScan has offered tips to avoid common scams.

Firstly, there are many fake shopping sites on the Internet. Beware of clicking on any e-mail, messages and posts that introduce you to any website offering Valentine’s Day special offers. Make sure that you visit a legitimate website by typing its URL or address in the web browser address bar. Before placing an order, always check the domain registration info and the contact details on the site.

Further, some websites offer unbelievable discounts and outstanding deals. Always remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it is not worthy of taking a chance.

Another scam to be aware of is special discount advertisements that lurk on social media and your inbox. Once these malicious links are clicked, they can get hold of your computer, your personal information, or could infect your computer with a virus, which may then crash your computer.

A fake dating profile is another area where people fall prey easily. Through these profiles, scammers try to connect and play emotional triggers to get the victim to provide money, gifts or personal details. And once they are successful in building your trust and make it seem like the romance of a lifetime, they will ask you for money or your banking/credit card details.

Gift cards and fake contests are also set up by cybercriminals on social media websites to target Internet users. It is important to check the authenticity of these gift cards and contests before taking any action.

The Dataquest team wishes happy Valentine’s Day to all our readers and urges them to be safe and a little more conscious while sending e-gifts.