We’ve detected tons of phishing scams this week, including ones relating to GroupMe iPad giveaway, Costco, Walmart, and Tinder. Would you have been able to spot all these scams?  

What is phishing?  

Impersonating trusted brands, and under a variety of pretenses, scammers will send you phishing links via social media, text message, or email — always with the goal of stealing your personally identifiable information (PII) (i.e. email address, Social Security number, credit card number, and more). They will prompt you to click on phishing links to complete various tasks or to take action (e.g. verify an account, update billing information, or check a delivery’s status). Or, more often, they will promise you free gifts and ask you to claim the reward via the attached phishing links.  
  
These phishing links lead to scam/phishing sites designed to record any PII you submit. With your stolen information, scammers can commit identity theft or other crimes. Below are some examples.  

GroupMe[.]fun iPad Giveaway Scam 

We’ve reported on GroupMe giveaway scams in which scammers spread phishing links using GroupMe before — and this week there seems to have been another wave of them.  

The phishing link will take you to a series of fake online survey pages that say you can get a gift after completing the survey.  

Note: Take a close look at the web address — it’s not a genuine GroupMe website! (It should be groupme.com) 

Sample fake GroupMe websites: 

• Groupme[.]fun 
• Groupme[.]love 

If you proceed with the survey, you will be instructed to claim the free iPad by hitting the “Claim Now!” button:

The button will take you to another site that requests your PII, including your home address and phone number, and in the end, it may even ask for your credit card credentials. 

Protect Yourself from Phishing Scams (Free Tool!)    

The best way to prevent phishing scams is to never click on links or attachments from unknown sources, but a FREE tool to help you fight scams wouldn’t hurt either, would it? Trend Micro Check is a free browser extension and mobile app for detecting scams, phishing attacks, malware, and dangerous links. Download today and surf the web with confidence! 

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

Costco Survey Scam 

Costco is always among the top-ranking impersonated companies in our weekly scam detection. This week we found a lot of fake Costco scam texts. Have you seen anything similar? 

Costco: We’re conducting our monthly audit and would like some input from current shoppers. <URL> 

Again, posing as Costco, scammers falsely claim that you can get a gift by finishing their online customer survey via the attached link. Not surprisingly, it will take you to a fake Costco survey page:

You could end up exposing your PII and credit card details. Of course, scammers will collect all of these credentials and use them for their own good. Don’t let them! 

Walmart Survey Scam 

Walmart is also another reoccurring brand that’s exploited in phishing scams. Scammers send you a random notification and try to lure you into clicking on the attached link to steal your PII: 

Walmart Notify – The certificate ending in 3932 has to be spent by Today <URL> 

Featuring $100 cash as a gift, the phishing page will guide you into inadvertently sharing your PII. Be careful! 

Tinder Scam 

“Someone matched with you on Tinder!” If you receive a similar email, don’t be quick to click the button. Check the sender — is it really from Tinder?  

We’ve seen similar Tinder phishing scams several times before. If you fall for one and click on the embedded button, it will lead you to an adult-themed phishing page where, as mentioned, you will be asked to submit your PII. Be careful! 

Tips to Stay Safe from Scams      

• Double-check the sender’s mobile number/email address. Even if it seems legitimate, think twice before you take any action.  
• Free gifts are a red flag.  
• Only use official websites/applications. Never click on dubious links! (Use Trend Micro Check)   
• Get alerted with Trend Micro ID Protection if any of your PII gets leaked.   
• Finally, 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 will help you combat scams and cyberattacks.

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