Air fryer fans have been issued a stark warning amid a new scam that could see people having their card details stolen.
It seems fraudsters are taking advantage of air fryers' continuing popularity, and are running a fake "Argos survey" in a bid to get their hands on people's details. People are drawn in by the promise of a free Ninja Air Fryer if they complete the online survey..
Experts at secure card payments provider Dojo are now urging people to stay vigilant against the scam.
READ MORE: Asda fans 'drooling' over new 22p snack that's 'perfect in the air fryer'
The scam sends people to a seemingly "official" Argos page to do so, but there are numerous red flags that consumers should be aware of.
Firstly, the website address and email aren’t coming from Argos or Sainsbury’s official domain, and the currency is in dollars. There is also a timer that warns the offer will disappear, to add time pressure on victims to encourage them to fill out the survey and input personal details.
The most recent email scam is a range of legitimate-looking communications through email and even text and social media, notifying consumers and businesses that they can benefit from freebies by filling out a survey. The scam will then ask for card payment details to receive the free item.
Having acquired the stolen card details, scammers are then using them to make lavish online purchases, and empty bank accounts, causing a huge financial and psychological impact on victims.
An Argos spokesperson told the ECHO: “These emails are not from Argos and we advise customers to delete them. We work hard to protect our customers and encourage them to be mindful of this type of phishing scam, which often use household brand names."
Dojo experts say you should always consider the below before inputting your card details into any website, clicking on an email or following a text message link:
Check the sender’s email address
Often scammers will use a suspicious email address that includes words that don’t relate to the company they impersonate or lots of numbers.
Check for poor spelling and grammar, or mistakes in the company’s name
Although some fraudulent emails are highly sophisticated, many of them can be poorly worded and there are some tell-tale signs they’re not legitimate.
Check the formatting of the email
A lot of companies send legitimate emails from a templated third-party system. Your favourite brands will often spend a lot of money making their emails branded and it can be difficult for scammers to replicate these email templates.
So if you see plain-text emails with no branding, or brand logos replicated in low resolution, look back at your inbox to see if this matches the company’s typical communication designs.
Don’t rush to action their demands
Often scammers thrive from creating a sense of urgency and panic in the recipient. They will use scare tactics or threatening language to make you rush into doing something.
Whether it's clicking a suspicious link or providing your personal data, you should take some time to review the email and research its legitimacy before taking any action.
If you’ve already clicked the link, check the URL straight away and do not log in anywhere as scammers can capture your details to take over your account.
Never send sensitive data via emails or online links from emails or SMS
If you suspect you’ve been sent a phishing email, do not click on it and try not to open it at all - especially if you’re using your work email. Scammers often leave malicious links within the email that once clicked allow them to enter your computer’s system.
If you accidentally click on one of these emails you should change your passwords immediately and check your bank accounts regularly to make sure no money has disappeared. If this happens you should alert your bank immediately and they will guide you on further action.
If you’re concerned about your work email account or laptop, you should contact your information security team straight away and flag your concerns. It’s always better to be cautious and vigilant when dealing with online security.
Contact the company implicated
Whether you’re unsure, or you’re totally convinced that you’ve received a scam email pretending to be a company, reach out to that company to inform them and see further information. They will be able to let you know within an instant if the communication you received was legitimate.
And often large brands will have dedicated teams investigating frauds affecting their customer base and damaging their brand reputation, so they will undoubtedly appreciate any information you can provide that can stop these fraudulent activities going forward.
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