Richard fell victim to an online scam when a well-crafted fake website deceived him as he prepared for his driving test.
Despite considering himself IT-savvy and not initially worried about online scams, Richard encountered trouble when he signed up for driving lessons with a company. In a Google search, he instinctively clicked on the first link, presuming it to be the legitimate and official site for booking lessons.
Concerns arose when Richard didn’t receive email confirmation of his payment. Upon checking his online account, he discovered that €85 had been debited instead of the advertised €40. Realizing something was amiss, he revisited the website and observed several red flags:
- Lack of a security icon (the ‘s’ in https).
- An unusual-looking domain name.
- Absence of contact details on the website.
After overcoming the initial shock, Richard took swift action by canceling the card used for the transaction and notifying his bank. Unfortunately, he couldn’t secure a refund since he had willingly provided his personal card details.
Cyber criminals demonstrate creativity and resourcefulness, and falling victim to deception is nothing to be ashamed of. Reporting scams is crucial, as it makes it more challenging for fraudsters to target others.
