With the new royal baby making headlines, BBB® expects to see scammers taking advantage of the public's eagerness to see photos of the newborn prince.
BBB warns, be careful when searching Google for news about the royal baby. Scam artists use fake websites to corrupt your computer.
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On Facebook, you may see a friend likes an "exclusive" video of the new royal baby. Curious, you click on the link.
You are taken to a 3rd party website, where a pop up appears prompting you to "update your video player" before you can view the clip.
You click "Ok." However, when you download the file, you aren't updating your software. You are downloading a virus that scans your machine for banking and other personal information. Similar scams can be found on Twitter and other social media.
Scam artists also prey on victims through "phishing" emails that promise "exclusive videos." The link in the email takes you to a 3rdparty website that asks for your personal information.
Take the following steps to protect yourself:
Don't take the bait. Just stay away from promotions of "exclusive," "shocking" or "sensational" footage. If it sounds too outlandish to be true, it is probably a scam.
Hover over a link to see its true destination. Before you click, mouse over the link to see where it will take you. Don't click on links leading to unfamiliar websites.
Report Scams. On Facebook, report scam profiles, posts and other suspicious activity Report scam profiles, posts, or other suspicious activity to Facebook, Twitter, or other social media sites.
Use good anti-virus software.Be sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date!
Stick to major and trusted news sites. If anyone is going to have the latest scoop, it's going to be them. It's probably not going to be confined to an obscure and fishy-looking website.
For more consumer tips, go to www.bbb.org or call 1-800-388-2222.