How to avoid becoming a victim of fraudsters on Cyber Monday? Expert advice

Cyber ​​Monday, which attracts many buyers with discounts, has become a favorite time for fraudsters. Information security expert Konstantin Gorbunov from "Security Code" shared advice on how to avoid becoming their victim.

1. Check the website URL

Fraudsters often copy popular websites, but change the characters in the address (for example, replace "w" with "vv", "1" with "!", hyphen with underscore, and so on). Be careful: before making a payment, make sure that the address of the website where you are going to buy something is accurate.

2. Evaluate the functionality of the site

Often, fakes have only a few high-quality pages (for example, the main page or product catalog), while other sections may be unfinished or contain errors.

If the site seems suspicious, you should certainly not buy anything from it.

3. Suspicious requests and methods of communication

• Avoid sites that ask for additional financial data that is not typical for the usual payment procedure.
• If the product is advertised through unusual channels (for example, links on social networks or instant messengers), this may also be a trap.

4. Check reviews

Too “perfect” reviews without a single flaw or their complete absence are a sign of a possible phishing site.

5. Beware of unrealistic discounts

Too low prices that differ greatly from the average on other sites are often used by scammers to attract gullible buyers.

Be vigilant

Gorbunov emphasizes that it is important to be especially careful during sales:

• Check the website address, design and functionality.
• Compare prices and read reviews.
• Never follow suspicious links.

Following these recommendations, you can avoid financial losses and protect your data.