iPhone 14 Pro, PayPal, NatWest, and Stackscoin Crypto Wallet – Top Phishing Scams of the Week
This week we’ve found a large number of scams that you need to watch out for, including ones relating to the iPhone 14 Pro, PayPal, NatWest, and Stackscoin Crypto Wallet. Would you have been able to spot all the scams?
Impersonating famous brands and companies, scammers send out fake text messages and emails containing phishing links and try to entice you into opening them with various lies. These phishing links will often lead to online survey pages that state you can claim a gift by filling out an online questionnaire:
iPhone 14 Pro Survey Scam
Fancy a free iPhone 14 Pro? Well, the scammers are trying to temp you with one.
- Hi Terry, Your iPhone 14 Pro is ready for delivery to . Please choose delivery address: <URL>
Scammers send you text messages that say you can get an iPhone 14 Pro as long as you provide your delivery address via the attached link. Below is what you’ll see if you do as instructed:
Eventually, you’ll be asked to enter personal information such as your name, address, and even credit card details. These credentials will all end up in scammers’ hands. They can thus steal your identity and commit other cybercrimes using your sensitive data. Don’t let them!
Stay Away from 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!
After you’ve pinned the Trend Micro Check extension, it will block dangerous sites automatically! (Available on Safari, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge).
You can also download the Trend Micro Check mobile app for 24/7 automatic scam and spam detection and filtering. (Available for Android and iOS).
Check out this page for more information on Trend Micro Check.
Besides online survey pages, these scam links will also take you to fake login pages that will end up asking you for your personal information and/or login credentials. Again, scammers can record any data you enter and use it to take control of your account. Be careful! Below are some examples:
Fake Paypal Security Alert
We’ve reported on PayPal text scams several times before. Falsely claiming that there are security issues with your PayPal account, scammers try their best to trick you into clicking on the attached phishing link:
- Paypal-Alert: We’ve noticed it’s been a long time since you last logged-in, to prevent your acc. from being closed. Please visit <URL>
You will be taken to this fake PayPal login page after clicking on the link, and you could end up exposing your login details. Don’t enter your credentials!
NatWest Phishing Email
Scammers also love to pretend to be banks. This week we’ve detected a lot of fake emails impersonating NatWest. Informing you that your bank account has seen some unknown and unusual sign-in activity, scammers prompt you to click on the button to “Verify your account”
REAL NatWest Login Page
FAKE NatWest Login Page
It can be hard to tell the scam page apart from the legitimate one. Tip: Always take a close look at the web address. Anything other than natwest.com is fake!
Stackscoin Crypto Wallet Phishing
What would you do after learning that you have over $600,000 in Bitcoin? We’ve noticed that scammers are sending out emails trying to lure people into clicking on a link to claim the fake fortune:
The link will take you to a crypto website called Stackscoin. There, you will be guided step by step to secure your account:
Eventually, you will have to enter your phone number to receive a one-time password (OTP) to verify your account.
By doing so, you are handing over your credentials directly to scammers. As we’ve stressed many times before, they can thus use your private data for their own good. Don’t let them!
The Stackscoin website has already been tagged as a phishing page by Trend Micro Check.
How to Protect Yourself from Phishing 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:
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- By Julia morris | December 2, 2022