This week we’ve found a large number of scams that you need to watch out for, including ones relating to Amazon, the IRS, PayPal, Ray-Ban, and MORE. Would you have been able to spot all the scams?

Is When We Were Young a Scam?

People online are wondering whether the When We Were Young festival is a scam. So, is it? Well, given the information available, the festival seems to be legitimate.

Ever since the lineup for the festival was released online, some people believed it to be too good to be true. The long list of performers meant presale tickets sold in only a few minutes.

However, some artists have confirmed that they will be performing at the festival, which rules out the prospect of it being a complete scam. But whether the long and star-studded list of performers end up taking to the When We Were Young stage remains to be seen.

Phishing Scams

Impersonating famous brands, scammers send out fake text messages containing phishing links and try to entice you into opening them with various lies. So where do scammers want to take you to?

Phishing links will often lead to fake login pages that will end up asking you for your personal information and/or login credentials.

Amazon “Blocked” Scam

This is not the first time we’ve written about fake Amazon text messages. Falsely claiming that there are security issues with your account, scammers trick you into clicking the attached link so you can “restore access” to your account:

• Your Amazon account has been bIocked due an unusual sign-in attempt. You can restore access to your account by visiting: amazon-activity[.]com

The link is a phishing link, that leads to a fake Amazon login page:

If you were to not realize the site is fake and submit your login credentials, scammers can steal the sensitive information and gain access to your Amazon account. Don’t fall for it! (Tip: Check the domain of the web address. The legitimate one is amazon.com.)

Combat Phishing Scams Using 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.

PayPal Verification Scam

Posing as PayPal, scammers send you fake security alert text messages and prompt you to click on the attached link to restore your account:

• Your Paypal account has been Limited due to unusual activity. Login blocked from : [ 46.221.135.51 – Peru ] Device: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0) To restore your account click link below: {URL} verify your account within 24 hours or your Paypal account will be terminated permanently.

The link leads to a fake PayPal login page. Remember, these phishing websites are designed to record all the credentials you enter. Don’t get scammed!

IRS Tax Return Scam

Even though the tax filing season has already come and gone, this week we are still detecting many phishing attempts impersonating the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). As we’ve reported before, scammers are busy creating fake tax refund websites to trick you:

To get you on one of their scam websites, scammers will send you a text message that instructs you to claim a refund via the link:

• A tax rebate of $278.44 has been issued to you for an over-payment in year 2021-2022. please click the link to proceed. {URL}

Once you’re on one of these fake IRS pages, you could end up exposing personal details such as your home address, date of birth, and Individual Tax ID Number (ITIN). Scammers could use the information for identity theft. Be careful!

Mail Server Phishing Scam

We’ve seen a lot of scam emails impersonating various mail servers in the past. Recently they’ve started to circulate again! Scammers use various tricks to try to lure you into clicking on the buttons embedded in their phishing emails. For example, they will commonly say there is a security issue with your account or that you need to free up storage space:

The buttons will take you to a fake login page that impersonates your mail server and requires you to enter your email address and password. Remember, don’t enter your login credentials because scammers can hack into your account!

These phishing links will also often take you to online survey pages that state you can claim a gift by filling out an online questionnaire. Below are some common scams with examples.

Raffle Scam (iPhone 13)

Scammers randomly send you text messages that say you are selected to take part in a raffle with a guaranteed reward:

• September winner: $500 is now in your account. Confirm your email and use them today. Read: <URL>

If you take the bait and click on the link, it will lead you to a fake online survey page that says if you complete the survey you can win things such as a MacBook Pro, an iPhone 13, or an iPad Pro:

After that, you will be asked to enter personal information, including even credit card details — which are allegedly required for the delivery of your “gift.”

Of course, there will be NO prize, and your credentials will end up in the scammers’ hands. They will then use your information to commit cybercrimes: e.g., hack into your online accounts or steal your identity. Don’t let them!

Besides phishing attempts, we’ve also detected a reoccurring online shopping scam:

Fake Ray-Ban Website

“Big sale! 2022 Ray-Ban sunglasses 90% off!” We’ve posted about them several times before, but emails promoting fake Ray-Ban websites are making the rounds again:

Once again, the spam emails include links that lead you to a fake Ray-Ban website. Below is an example:

Sample URLs of fake Ray-Ban websites:

• switwatches[.]com
• 88offbags[.]com
• 90off-sunglasses[.]com

Note: the legitimate web address of the official Ray-Ban website is ray-ban.com.

How to Protect Yourself from Scams

• Pay close attention to URLs — are they legitimate?
• 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. Also, please consider clicking the LIKE button below.