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
NEW What Canada is doing about the toxic forever chemicals in drinking water
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson Airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Russia reports downing 5 Ukrainian military balloons in Kyiv's latest apparent war innovation
Russian air defences downed what authorities described as five Ukrainian balloons overnight, the defence ministry in Moscow said Thursday, as the sides kept up long-range strikes that have featured heavily in what has largely become a war of attrition.
Frustrated farmers are rebelling against EU rules. The far right is stoking the flames
Mainstream political parties failed to act on European farmers' complaints for decades, one farmer says. Now the radical right is stepping in.