How do I scam thee this Valentine’s? Vendor counts 7 ways

While they may not be getting as much porn spam this Valentine's, netizens spending the love weekend will still have to look out for seven online scams exploiting the occasion.

 

According to security vendor Bitdefender, pornography is no longer scammers’ favorite bait, with Valentine-themed spam containing links to porn videos falling to below 1 percent this year.

 

"Some seasonal scams never get old. These include fake offers for travels, heart-shaped diamond jewelry, clothes, personalized e-cards, restaurant coupons and more," Bitdefender researcher Alexandra Gheorghe said.

 

Gheorghe added scammers are "resorting to other old tricks to leave them heart-broken, and broke."

 

Among the the most popular Valentine’s scams of the season are:

 

1. Travel offers. Email offers promising a romantic getaway for two or plane tickets at unbelievably low prices.

 

2. Restaurant discounts. These may lead to sites that can collect location and other very personal details.

 

3. Donation scams. Emails claiming to be from PETA or UNICEF urge users to make a donation in the name of someone they love, but the money could end up with hackers.

 

4. Fake jewelry. Users may want to research sellers’ sites before paying for fake jewelry.

 

5. Gift shopping

 

6. Personalized e-cards. Some sites offering Valentine’s Day wallpapers or special greeting cards could redirect to fraudulent websites, though there has been a decrease recently.

 

7. Mysterious items. Users are lured with a mysterious offer, but their curiosity could prove costly.

 

Gheorghe also advised Internet users to avoid buying anything while connected to a public Wi-Fi network.

 

She also advised them to ignore spam messages, and to ask friends for advice or check the legitimacy of an online shop on forums by simply Googling it.

 

"Choose only web shops with SSL certificates to confirm their identity. An URL starting with HTTPS and a padlock at the end should indicate you are on the right page," she added.

 

Also, she advised users to have an antivirus solution that can handle bogus advertisements and get rid of them. — Joel Locsin/VC, GMA News