Practicing safe browsing online this Mother’s Day can keep you at bay when it comes to scams. Remember, scammers never sleep. What does that mean for you? It means you need to always remain vigilant when surfing the web, especially on or before holidays. Be sure to spoil her this Mother’s Day, but watch out for these scams as well.
Fake Floral Sites
A Mother’s Day promotion wouldn’t be complete without some kind of flower in the picture. Trustworthy dating sites like Dream Singles will allow members to buy flowers from their own gift shop to further protect their members from scams. But if you aren’t familiar with the site you are purchasing the flowers from, it could end very badly for you. Because scammers know shoppers are looking for flowers during this Mother’s Day, they will set up an enticing site. But their intent is not to help you find the perfect Mother’s Day flowers; they want your financial information.
We recommend you research the rating of the company you want to purchase flowers from, as well as their history before you buy anything.
Pseudo E-Cards
Clicking on links you don’t know can set you up to be taken advantage of. Sometimes, the very link you clicked on can install malicious software onto your phone or computer. And once it is there, it can wreak havoc in a very small amount of time.
We suggest that you pause for a moment and consider if this link is worth clicking on. At all times, make sure the email you get the e-card from is from a source you recognize.
Social Media Scams
Indeed, social media can be very entertaining and exciting. Oh the many things you will find on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Speaking of Facebook, did you know that there was a post some years ago asking mothers to post their child’s name and birthdate? Seems innocuous, but in reality, this information was enough for the scammer to duplicate a Social Security card. The last thing any mother wants is for her sweet child’s identity to be stolen – especially on Mother’s day.
What To Do If You Have Been Scammed
Unfortunately, some don’t know they’re being scammed until it is too late. If you have been the victim of fraudulent activity, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Why the FTC? The Federal Trade Commission protects consumers by preventing unfair business practices.
All in all, it’s ok to spoil her this Mother’s Day, but watch out for these scams. The more aware you are, the more you can protect yourself from fraudulent attacks online. Share this information about Mother’s Day scams with your loved ones. It can truly make the difference.
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