You have probably heard of a number of scams involving the Internet but have you come across the term Paid Ad Spoofing? If not then read on….
Paid Ad Spoofing is where a scammer buys adverts on the likes of Google and other search engines as well as on social media with a view to enticing people to access one or more of these types of websites with a view to use their personal data or put certain malware on say the computer of a user for fraudulent/monetary gain.
For instance, car insurance policyholders who may have been in a road traffic accident and wish to claim on their motor insurance policy may go on the Internet with a view to contacting the insurer’s claims department. This could either be by telephone or an online form. If they unfortunately go onto one of these Paid Ad Spoofing websites rather than the legitimate website of the insurance company he or she may end up providing personal information and they could enter into a contract that could be used to their financial detriment i.e. incurring charges.
Apparently, these Paid Ad Spoofing websites can look very plausible so caution is required by car insurance policyholders. Make sure that you carry out your due diligence such as double checking that you have the correct contact details before providing any personal information. Ideally, refer back to the original documentation you were provided with when taking out your car insurance as this will no doubt have the contact details for the claims department. Try to use an official mobile app provided by your car insurance company. Make sure that you have adequate security software installed to prevent the likes of malware and viruses.
So, make sure that you are always vigilant to avoid getting caught up in a Paid Ad Spoofing scam.
