Dubai: Two experts in the field of technical security and digital privacy have warned of fraudulent links containing fake back-to-school offers, which are being promoted through social media and the internet, and which aim to hack into individuals' accounts and data, noting that these links include tempting and exaggerated discounts to attract consumers.They pointed out that internet hackers exploit the peak of various shopping seasons, such as the back-to-school season, to spread fraudulent links containing fake offers.They warned against clicking on any unreliable links via social media or search engines, or sharing any financial data requested through those links, calling for not trusting offers that include exaggerated or illogical discounts, and checking the addresses of the links and the accuracy of the names of the stores that offer those deals.Fake offersMaher Yammout, senior security researcher at Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team for Digital Security Systems. Picture credit: SuppliedMaher Yammout, senior security researcher at Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team for Digital Security Systems, said: “Cybercriminals are currently resorting to spreading fraudulent links containing fake offers launched in conjunction with the back-to-school season through social media or online search platforms, targeting consumers and defrauding them in order to compromise their data and accounts.”He explained that fraud attempts via fake offer links come as attackers exploit families' increased shopping during peak seasons, such as the back-to-school season, which sees high demand for school supplies through offers at low prices.Yammout added that “pirates are posting fraudulent links that look similar to real offers, and include tempting and exaggerated discounts to attract consumers and push them to click on them and enter them.”He pointed out that these links are published or circulated through social media, calling on users not to trust them, and to resort to the official websites and platforms of the stores that these links impersonate, to verify the validity of the offers, without clicking on the links circulated through social media.Yammout stated that “fraudulent links appearing through search engines require more awareness from users, and they should not click on links that lead to unreliable sites, especially if the offers are exaggerated or illogical, and it is necessary to check the addresses of the links to ensure the validity of the names of the stores that offer those deals.”He explained that some digital advertisements broadcast through many free applications, collect information and data about users, which can be used in various fields, while hackers may exploit it to launch attacks targeting individuals, according to their monitored interests, including items related to the back-to-school season.He pointed out the importance of using secure search engines and checking the authenticity of links published on the internet, which may exploit the names of famous stores, but contain different letters when checked.Check before clickingFor his part, researcher and digital security expert Omar Amin said: “It is important for internet users to have sufficient awareness to avoid being exploited by fake offer links that are published in conjunction with the back-to-school season, with the aim of hacking consumer data and accounts.”He added that "these links are being shared on social media in the form of fake and enticing offers, to attract consumers," stressing the importance of not clicking on them or sharing any financial data requested through unreliable links.Amin explained that it is important to use reliable digital protection systems on devices and to check any link, whether through social media or search engines, before clicking on it, especially when presented with offers that may be illogical or exaggerated.
