As cybercrime gets more sophisticated, here are some tips to avoid online scams
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the beginning of the holiday shopping season is upon us.
Online and in stores, shoppers are looking to find deals – but experts are urging caution to avoid getting scammed.
"This is the biggest show of the year. So for organized criminals, as well as the bottom feeders, it's all about the end-of-year shopping spree," said cybersafety expert Claudiu Popa, founder of KnowledgeFlow Cybersafety Foundation.
"Every cybercriminal out there is poised to provide those deals. They're going to be putting up fake sites, they're going to provide low, low prices, and they're going to come right into your inbox to get your attention right off the bat. So make no mistake about it. It's going to be activity from now, right up until January."
Popa shares the following tips:
Check yourself and your own ability to detect fraud
Cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated, Popa said. You may think you are very digitally literate, but don’t let that make you overconfident.
"We're not talking about seven to 10 years ago, where every phishing email came riddled with spelling and grammatical mistakes. We're talking about emails that look exactly like the real thing. They look exactly like Amazon, PayPal, eBay, or any of your banks. So we're talking about a false sense of security that we need to check," he said.
Make sure you're on the right website
Type the correct website directly into your search bar and don't use a search engine like Google.
"This year, more than ever in the history of the internet, criminals have been spending so much money on advertising. The fake sites show up before the real sites. It's an unprecedented time in the internet where we're getting reports from users saying, 'I clicked onto the first link that appeared and Google sent me to the fraudulent website,'" he said.
Use a unique password for every site you register with
"At some point, one of these sites is going to get hacked. And the cybercriminals are going to take your password and plug it into all the other sites that they can think of and see if they can steal your identity from all those other sites," said Popa.
Install an ad blocker
It’s "the best use is against malvertising," or malicious advertising, said Popa.
Malvertising is a technique that uses online advertising to spread malware.
"These are weaponized ads. In some cases, they are presented to you as an image but it comes with a whole bunch of code on your computer and you don't know what it does."
Popa recommends Adblock Plus.
Shop on your desktop or laptop computer, not on a mobile device, so you can see all the details and be skeptical.
- With files from CTV News Montreal's Christine Long and Maya Johnson
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.