NORFOLK, Va. — We all work too hard for our money — so why let someone take it away? If you use social media to unwind, let me tell you why you need to keep an eye out for scammers.
Some social media links may lead you to websites that pretend to be real companies. These sites often offer deals that seem too good to be true, and in many cases, they really are.
This story actually starts with me scrolling through Instagram the other day, where I spotted a post advertising “Aerie” sweaters for just $2.99— “Today only!”
The deal seemed unreal considering sweaters normally started around $30.00. I thought to myself, “Sweaters don’t come that cheap.” Red flag number one.
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But curiosity got the best of me, and I clicked on the link to check it out. The page looked like Aerie’s website and showed amazing markdowns. As I scrolled, I noticed a timer ticking down in the bottom right corner of the screen. Red flag number two.
Still intrigued, I decided to see what would happen if I tried to add items to my cart.
The checkout process seemed pretty normal, asking for my name, address, and billing information, but I hesitated and thought better of it.
Instead, I opened the page in a Safari browser. That is when I was taken to a completely different company’s website. Red flag number three.
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It was clear that the website had been spoofed. I suspected there was never a sweater for less than $3. To confirm, I went directly to Aerie’s official site. Guess what? There were no discounted items at that price. I cannot imagine how much money I might have lost if I had entered my sensitive information.
So, if you are ever in doubt about a deal, take my advice: go directly to the official website or your login page. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Just as a final reminder, if a deal looks too good to be true, these days, it probably is.