Social media can be a major security issue, and one of the reasons is that we encounter fake ads. We have seen campaigns to distribute malware using platforms like Facebook. Basically, they appear to be legitimate ads, but they are actually a trap. They want you to click and take you to a malicious website so you download a file, enter your personal data, make a purchase that will never happen… But how can you identify these fake ads?
We are going to show you some options that you should take into account to identify fraudulent ads that may reach you through a wide variety of social networks. You could be browsing normally and suddenly see a box with an eye-catching ad, warning of an error or even a product for sale that interests you. This could be a trap, as we will explain.
Identifying fake ads on social media
Simply knowing that something could be a scam will help you stay safe. In fact, common sense is the main barrier to avoiding intruders in your accounts, malware or theft of personal information of any kind. Not making mistakes is going to be essential.
Unreal prices
The first sign is if you come across an advertisement for a supposedly excessively cheap product. For example, something you know costs €50 and you see it for €5 or €10. It could simply be bait, something to get you to bite and enter a totally fake page, where they could ask for your details or steal information.
In these cases, you need to be very careful. Pay attention to possible discount coupons that are promoted and are a fraud, unbeatable offers that do not really exist, etc. Be careful because they can use the name of recognized platforms, to make it seem like something real, but that has nothing to do with it.
Alert or very striking information
A classic is to show a very striking ad, which serves as a warning. For example, something related to security. They could inform you that you have to update that social network, install a patch to correct a problem, etc. They seek to scare the victim, the need to make some urgent change.
Always use common sense and keep in mind that you should only update programs or install software from official sources. Beware of such ads, which may simply redirect you to pages controlled by attackers.
URL does not match the real one
Another way to detect that an ad is fake is to simply check the URL. You can hover over it, even before clicking, and see what it is. You could also go to the browser and check whether or not it corresponds to the address of the page it is trying to impersonate.
You’ll probably quickly see that this is a scam. You’ll see that it’s a strange domain, which has nothing to do with what it should be, and therefore it’s not a good idea for you to make a purchase, log in, or enter any kind of personal information. You could always analyze a link.
Bad looking page
Of course, taking a general look at that page will also be of great help. You might notice something that doesn’t fit a serious website. It could be poorly written text, bad translations, a messy menu… Basically, anything that shows that that website is not what it should be.
This is very useful for detecting fake ads on social media, but also any website that reaches you through other platforms, such as email, WhatsApp, etc.
In short, these are some steps you can take to detect fraudulent ads on social networks. Avoiding falling into the trap is essential to avoid problems that compromise your online security. Always make sure your computer is well protected.
