One of the tips from various platforms and experts is that you should avoid clicking on random links in unsolicited text messages, messaging apps or emails.
As the Christmas season approaches, the concept of holiday shopping has shifted online, in line with the ongoing digital transformation of today’s generation.
There are numerous websites available where people can purchase Christmas gifts. However, this convenience has also become an opportunity for online scammers to take advantage.
They create fake websites designed to steal personal information from unsuspecting victims.
Mel Migriño, country head of Gogolook Philippines, referred to a report by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) detailing the scams commonly encountered by Filipinos.
“The survey shows that more than 30% of Filipino respondents experience scams through shopping websites,” said Ms. Migriño.
“This is followed by investment fraud, advance fee scams and identity theft,” she added.
With this, Ms. Migriño highlighted the Web Checker feature of Whoscall, a global anti-scam application, as a useful tool for the public.
“Users can take advantage of the automatic web checker functionality to verify whether the URL or domain is suspicious or not, and to secure your Internet connection,” Ms. Migriño explains.
AI for victim profiling
In addition, online scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to profile victims more efficiently.
“AI allows scammers to quickly analyze and profile their targets, helping them decide what type of social engineering tactics to use,” Migriño said.
“I urge everyone to always protect your data, uphold your right to privacy and carefully choose the level of information you share online. For scammers, our personal data is the ultimate prize,” she added, emphasizing the importance of protecting privacy.
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