Like most phishing attacks, this next type preys on user carelessness. Wind up on .com when you’re looking for a government website? End up buying knock-off sneakers when you meant to buy the real thing? Chances are, you’ve fallen victim to search engine phishing.
In this type of attack, cyber criminals wait for you to come to them. Search engine phishing injects fraudulent sites, often in the form of paid ads, into results for popular search terms. These ads often promise amazing deals, career advancement opportunities, or low interest rates for loans. Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Detecting a Search Engine Phishing Scam
Often, the only difference between the scam result and the one you’re looking for is a .com that should be a .org or, as pictured, a .org that should be a .gov.
