The lives of people were upended when the coronavirus pandemic struck, and customers had to find new ways to carry out everyday things such as clothing shopping, groceries and presents for friends and family. According to Selligent's Global Connected Consumer Index Survey, more than a third of consumers have started shopping online on a weekly basis since the pandemic began, while e-commerce has increased.
1. Carefully examine suspicious messages: Sending a text message notification without specifics of a promotion, package or order would be extremely uncommon for a brand. If the brand name is not present, and no details of what it is about are included in the letter, it is possibly a scam. Many customers, for instance, are receiving urgent notifications about shipments that they have to claim ASAP without sender information.
3. When you receive a text message asking you to act urgently, it is definitely a scam, and it is important that you check whether or not you have recently communicated with the "brand" contacting you. High urgency text messages calling for action can raise an immediate red flag.
4.The landing page should always be the first stop: If a brand sends you a text message updating your order status, the included connection should take you straight to the landing page of the brand. Many scammers would provide a connection to a separate page that seeks to steal personal information. Stop the connections on these sites at all costs. Check to stop this if you mistakenly click on these links.
5. (If you have already clicked on a fraudulent connection and given information): Take the following immediate action:
1. Modify the corresponding password (s)
2. Get in contact with and inform the organization you felt you were responding to. To report suspected fraud, contact your bank or credit card company
3. Cancel your debit/credit card details if needed.
4. File a report with the major credit bureaus, if needed.