Scams have become a consistent problem online in recent years, and it’s only getting worse. Between company-wide security breaches to individual hacks, it seems almost impossible to avoid the nefarious behavior of these cyber criminals. Now, this new scam is poised to take advantage of people fresh off a pandemic-saving shot through convenient surveys that offer a free reward for handing over your personal information. The shipping fees is where they get you. Naturally, there is no reward, nor a legitimate survey to gauge your reaction to the vaccine. Instead, the information you input into the survey will be used to harvest your personal data and, if you get all the way to the shipping fees part, your credit card number, and that’s where things can get pretty dicey. In fact, the City of London Police reported that more than 6,000 cases of coronavirus-related fraud have occurred, with a whopping £34.5 million being lost as a result. Unfortunately, chaotic times like these are the perfect time for cyber criminals, and no tragedy is sad enough to deter them from trying to make a quick buck at your expense. Fortunately, there are a few ways to protect yourself. For one, typos run rampant on these sites, so keep an eye out for misspelled or oddly worded sentences. Another good tip is to always check the the URL to make sure you aren’t clicking on anything that looks questionable. Finally, a good antivirus software can detect phishing attempts, keeping you safe no matter where you are on the web. If you’re looking to protect your privacy online in other ways, there are plenty of resources available to you. From password managers that keep your credentials secure to VPNs that hide your internet activity from potential cyber criminals, protecting your privacy online doesn’t have to be a massive chore.
