This week we’ve found a large number of scams that you need to watch out for, including ones relating to Walmart, Costco, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Louis Vuitton, and Ray-Ban. Would you have been able to spot all the scams?

Phishing Scams

To begin with, this week we found several phishing scams.Conventionally, while impersonating famous brands, scammers send out fake text messages and emails containing phishing links and try to entice you into opening them with various lies.

In such phishing schemes, these links will take you to fake log-in pages that appear to belong to various brands. These pages require you to submit log-in credentials to download a software update, change account settings, or whatever other tasks the scammers have asked you to complete.

Zelle Support Scam

We’ve reported on Zelle scams several times before. Posing as Zelle, scammers falsely claim that your profile has been put on hold and prompt you to verify your account via the attached link:

• alertfrm: weiisfrg support msg: temporal hold has been put on your proflle legitimate verification needed below

If you click on the link, it will take you to a fake Zelle page that’s designed to steal your login credentials:

Scammers’ ultimate goal is to steal your personal information. They’ll record everything you enter on their fake pages and use it to commit cybercrimes: e.g., hack into your account or steal your identity. Don’t let them!

Sample fake Zelle URLs:

• help-zellesupport[.]me
• uservrfy-zellep[.]info
• bmoharris-verification-zelle-review[.]serveusers[.]com

Note: Zelle’s legitimate web address is zellepay.com. Always take a close look and stay alert!

An easier way to surf the web safely: Trend Micro Check

Trend Micro Check is a browser extension and mobile app for detecting scams, phishing attacks, malware, and dangerous links — and it’s FREE!

Check out this page for more information on Trend Micro Check.

Online Survey Phishing Emails

Phishing scams also take place through emails. The tactics are basically the same: scammers try their best to get you to click on the embedded phishing links:

Home Depot / Lowe’s “Shopper Survey” Scam

Recently we’ve seen home improvement retailers being impersonated by scammers. Offering you rewards, scammers prompt you to take a scam online survey to try to steal your personal information.

Fake Louis Vuitton / Ray-Ban Online Shops Spreading via Email

Although it’s already been over a week since Amazon Prime Day, fake online shops are still circulating all over the Internet. As we mentioned last week, please beware of fake emails that promote scam Louis Vuitton / Ray-Ban websites.

You already know where these emails lead: to fake online shops!

A sample URL of a fake Louis Vuitton online shop:

• 90offbags[.]com

Sample URLs of fake Ray-Ban online shops:

• 90off-sunglasses[.]com
• 90off-rb[.]com

Note: ALWAYS pay close attention to the URLs of websites!

Below are more examples of phishing text scams:

Venmo Security Alert Scam

Venmo is another brand that scammers commonly impersonate to try to trick you. This time around they’ve been sending out fake security alerts, trying to convince people that there are security issues with their accounts, and urging them to visit the attached phishing links:

• venmo.c͏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏m͏͏͏͏, w͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏ f͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏u͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏d͏͏͏͏ a͏͏͏͏ s͏͏͏͏u͏͏͏͏s͏͏͏͏p͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏u͏͏͏͏s͏͏͏͏ t͏͏͏͏r͏͏͏͏a͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏s͏͏͏͏a͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏, f͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏r͏͏͏͏ s͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏u͏͏͏͏r͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏y͏͏͏͏ r͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏a͏͏͏͏s͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏s͏͏͏͏ w͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏ h͏͏͏͏a͏͏͏͏v͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏ d͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏a͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏v͏͏͏͏a͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏d͏͏͏͏ y͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏u͏͏͏͏r͏͏͏͏ a͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏u͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏. p͏͏͏͏l͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏a͏͏͏͏s͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏ s͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏u͏͏͏͏r͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏ a͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏d͏͏͏͏ v͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏r͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏f͏͏͏͏y͏͏͏͏ y͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏u͏͏͏͏r͏͏͏͏ a͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏u͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏ i͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏f͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏r͏͏͏͏m͏͏͏͏a͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏ i͏͏͏͏m͏͏͏͏m͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏d͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏a͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏l͏͏͏͏y͏͏͏͏, c͏͏͏͏l͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏k͏͏͏͏ a͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏d͏͏͏͏ f͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏l͏͏͏͏l͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏w͏͏͏͏ t͏͏͏͏h͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏ i͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏s͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏r͏͏͏͏u͏͏͏͏c͏͏͏͏t͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏s͏͏͏͏ f͏͏͏͏r͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏m͏͏͏͏ t͏͏͏͏h͏͏͏͏e͏͏͏͏ f͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏l͏͏͏͏l͏͏͏͏o͏͏͏͏w͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏g͏͏͏͏ l͏͏͏͏i͏͏͏͏n͏͏͏͏k͏͏͏͏: {URL}

Again, the links will lead to a fake Venmo login page. Don’t submit any credentials here!

Sample fake Venmo URL:

• venmo-security-info[.]lnk[.]to

Note: the legitimate Venmo web address is venmo.com!

Phishing links will also take you to online survey pages that state you can claim a gift by filling out an online questionnaire. After you complete the questionnaire, you are prompted to enter credit card details before your “gift” can be delivered. Below are some examples.

Walmart Gift Card Scam

Walmart text message scams are certainly not new to us — this week we’ve detected a new wave of phishing attempts featuring a $5000 gift card as a prize:

• A $5000 Walmart card could go a long way for your shopping. See how you can score one at <URL> (DTJ – text STOP to unsub)

The attached link will take you to a fake Walmart online survey page that says you can win a gift  card after completing one of the questionnaires:

In the end, you will be asked to enter credit card details — allegedly necessary for the delivery of your “prize.” Of course, there will be no gift card, and your credentials could end up in scammers’ hands!

Costco Rewards Scam

Similar tactics also apply to the latest Costco survey scams. Promising you free coupons, scammers lure you into clicking on their phishing links that lead to fake Costco survey pages:

• Costco Rewards: Finish this poll within 4h hours and obtain a $10.00 coupon from us. U can view additional details here.  <URL>

Below is an example of a fake Costco survey page — you could end up exposing sensitive data!

How to Protect Yourself

• Double-check the sender’s mobile number/email address.
• Free gifts and prizes are always a major red flag.
• Go to the official website/application instead of using links from unknown sources.
• Never click on links or attachments from unknown sources. Use Trend Micro Check to surf the web safely (it’s free!).
• Add an extra layer of protection to your devices with Trend Micro Maximum Security. Its Web Threat Protection, Ransomware Protection, Anti-phishing, and Anti-spam Protection can help you combat scams and cyberattacks. Click the button below to give it a try:

As ever, if you’ve found this article an interesting and/or helpful read, please do SHARE it with friends and family to help keep the online community secure and protected.