The greatest spectacle of athleticism and global competition is about to take place in Rio – the 2016 Summer Olympics! Everyone is invited to witness the thrill of victory as well as the agony of defeat. If you were hoping to see it all in person, be careful, there’s probably a scam for that.
From low airfares and luxury hotel accommodations to discount event tickets and merchandise, criminals have been diligently working on spoofing, spamming, and creating the perfect lottery scheme just to make sure everyone has a chance to have their identity stolen or credit card compromised. As the opening ceremonies draw near, people should watch carefully for the following scams.
Rather than taking the first low-priced deal that you see, work with a travel agent or travel service you’re familiar with to be certain that you are getting the best deal for your money. Remember, the adage “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” should serve as a warning to look elsewhere and find out who the authorized sellers are. Use bbb.org to research vendors before purchasing your travel package.
When looking for the best deals, be mindful of pop-up ads with references to the Rio games. These ads redirect to websites that look legitimate but aren’t. This is because cyber criminals register the SSL, a secure connection between a server and web browser, with names like “Rio” and “Rio 2016.” However, the site is not related to an authorized seller and is used to either gather personal information or sell unauthorized tickets. One way to tell that the website might not be the real deal is the low pricing on tickets or merchandise.
Another tactic that fraudsters use is the classic lottery scam. If you receive an email saying that you’ve won a lottery that includes tickets to the Olympic Games in Rio rather than a cash prize or car, that is a big indicator that it is probably a scam. Plus, these types of emails come from an unfamiliar sender, and most people who get them haven’t entered a drawing in the first place. If you get an email like this, avoid clicking any of the links or images included. Clicking through the email will trigger any malware to download onto your device resulting in the loss of personal information.
Everyone, it seems, has a smartphone or some type of handheld device that is connected to the internet. Cyberthieves know this, and since there are more than 1.9 billion smartphones in the world, allowing plenty of opportunities for cyber criminals gain access to these devices through the use of false apps or GPS trackers.
Because of the risk of cyber attacks, keep in mind if you or a friend are able to go to Rio for the games to minimize the use of public Wi-Fi. Use a secure network to reduce the chances of a cyber thief gaining access to your phone on an open network. Check the settings on your device to block pop-ups or GPS trackers and set a strong password.
Go for the gold and cheer on your country as the whole world looks on during the summer games, but remember to take BBB along using bbb.org.
Sandra Guile is the Community Outreach Specialist for BBB. She promotes BBB’s message of marketplace ethics through public speaking engagements, presentations, media relations, press releases, web content, and other written materials. Contact Sandra at (513) 639-9126 or sguile@cincinnati.bbb.org. Your BBB is located at 1 East 4th Street Suite 600 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 – to reach the office, call (513) 421-3015.