Beware of this easy-to-fall-for Gmail scam
Google has issued an alert to warn about an ongoing Gmail scam that could have negative consequences for users, reports The Mirror.
A scam is going around, whereby cybercriminals posing to be from Google send you an e-mail on Gmail. It begins with an enticing subject that says "Online Reward Program," and says the user has won a prize for making the 18.25 billionth search on Google.
With so many of us Googling every possible thing from weather to overnight oats, it's easy to fall for this trick. But, whether or not you have racked up billions of searches, Google is not going to reward you for using its search engine.
Here is what the email says:
Congratulations! You are the lucky Google user. Every 10 millionth search is reached worldwide, we will proclaim a lucky user to send out a thank-you gift. You are the lucky user!"
The message recipients are asked to click a link to claim the prize. The link doesn't redirect to a prize though. Instead, it's a way for hackers to obtain personal data and steal their credentials and money.
In addition to sending deceptive emails, hackers also use pop-up messages to lure people into their traps.
Although it's not clear how many people were affected by these scams, but they do seem to have impacted a significant number of Gmail users because they have prompted a warning from Google. The company has asked people to be on their guard when browsing the web and to flag anything suspicious.
You encounter a pop-up advertisement on your mobile device or computer from a website you are browsing. The pop-up claims that you have won a gift from Google, and are asked to answer several questions to claim the gift. It's possible that the pop-up may also ask you to enter your email or other personal information. Google does not offer spontaneous prizes in this format and you will not win a prize by completing the survey or entering your personal information. Close out of the pop-up window and do not enter your personal information."
If you are a tech-savvy user, you may not think much of these scams. But sometimes scammers pull the wool over even the sharpest users' eyes. In 2022 alone, American users lost a whopping $10.3 billion to internet scams.
You should always be skeptical of emails and messages that claim you have won a prize. In this particular case, the emails use Google branding to trick unsuspecting users into believing they came from Google employees. So always check and double-check the address to ensure the email was sent by someone you trust.
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