Five Things Scammers Hope You Google
People are predictable: when we want to know something, we probably search Google for it. Companies (including digital media sites such as Lifehacker) are aware of this and often try to “beat the algorithm” by creating content they know will be relevant to common requests. The problem is that scammers know this too – and are happy to use their knowledge of what you are likely to google against you.
I’m not talking about scammers who pay for misleading ads in Google’s Ad Results, although that’s a problem too. Instead, these scammers use commonly used phrases to provide links to websites that will try to trick you into becoming a victim of a scam. There is always risk, but here are five things you should look for on Google with extreme caution.
“Free credit report”
Ironically, one of the riskiest searches when it comes to exposing scammers actually has the opposite intended effect. We all know that we are legally entitled to view our credit report for free, and that monitoring your credit report is a great way to make sure your identity hasn’t been compromised, but if you’re not careful, google “free credit report”. may lead you to a site that puts you at risk for just that.
Fake credit report sites will ask for a lot of personal information, and you may be tempted to provide it, assuming it’s necessary for you to get a report. Instead, you will give your personal information to someone who, of course, does not think about your financial well-being.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to avoid this risk. Each of the three major consumer reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – allows you to check your creditworthiness once a year by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling (877) 322-8228, without the need for a Google search. (Check out other ways to get a legitimate free credit report here .)
“[Company] customer service number”
Sometimes you need to speak to support as soon as possible and in a hurry you call the first official phone number you find. The scammers are hoping it’s actually one of them and that you won’t notice, but the subtle red flags they inadvertently left behind to warn you that the number you’re dialing is not legitimate. Let’s say you’re trying to call your cell phone company, but you accidentally dial a scammer’s number. They ask you to send you a security code to “verify your identity” and you give it to them – oops, you just gave them a way to reset their account password. Or they will do something similar to get hold of your phone number and use it to try and scam others .
An easy way to avoid this is to make sure you don’t blindly dial the first number that comes up in a Google search. Check the original URL and make sure it’s an official website by looking at the about us or contact us page for anything suspicious.
“Highly paid remote work”
Almost everything that is easy in life is not good for you. This is especially true when we talk about making money online in 2023. Suffice it to say that many job postings are complete scams .
The best advice here is the simplest: if a job sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Look out for vague job descriptions, months-old messages, and HR inquiries sent from free email domains like @gmail.
“Free people search”
Everyone does it, but no one wants to admit it. Searching for people or “crawling” is a normal behavior these days and it’s easier than ever given how much of our personal information is probably scattered across the internet. But visiting “people finder” for information about someone else may actually reveal too much about you: many of these websites are sketchy and too happy to take your money and personal information in an attempt to help you track down someone else ( just look at Better Business Bureau Complaints for Peoplefinder.com).
Luckily, there are free, legal, and legitimate ways to sneak up on people without putting yourself at risk, and if you want to opt out of appearing on people-hunting sites yourself, you can do that too ( although this will take some effort ).
“Best Crypto Wallet”
It is understandable to want to find the safest wallet to protect your valuable cryptocurrency from the hands of scammers, hackers and thieves. However, searching through a simple search is exactly what scammers want from you, and their SEO skills set their traps high in Google results. An easy way to avoid this problem is to instead find a reputable website offering trustworthy advice and follow their links to their recommended wallets. May I suggest you read our recommendations here ?