Out of the blue, an unexpected message arrives. The head honcho needs your support! They’re out on customer visits and have run into a setback – someone forgot to bring the gift cards. With urgency in their voice they request you step up with haste; six $200 digital gifts must be purchased pronto!
The sender has promised to provide your reimbursement today and is adamant about speed. Unfortunately, they’ll be preoccupied with meetings for the next couple of hours so communication will have to wait until then – but this request carries high importance! So don’t dally; get those gift cards as soon as possible!
In the face of an unexpected request, do you take a moment to consider your options or swiftly whip out your credit card?
Be wary of schemes that may appear to be too good (or scary) to pass up – many employees have fallen victim to gift card scams where they are made out of pocket due criminal masterminds posing as their boss, who is supposedly in a desperate situation with no other solution besides you. There’s always something fishy when it seems like trouble has come way-too easy!
Employees are increasingly becoming victims of a sophisticated phishing scam. The unsuspecting employee is deceived into believing an email or text message from their company CEO, requesting the purchase of gift cards as payment for something unrelated to work. Unfortunately they become aware too late that it was not actually sent by the real boss – but instead, a clever con artist trying to pull off fraud! The employee was in a financial crunch, without any extra cash to their name.
Without proper training, 32.4% of employees are prone to fall for a phishing scam.
Phishing scams have become an increasingly common way to steal sensitive data and cause financial damage.
With their clever social engineering tactics, hackers have been able to con unsuspecting employees out of money with a well-crafted gift card scam. By manipulating people’s emotions and taking advantage of unusual circumstances, these fraudsters are managing to deceive even the most vigilant among us.
Some of these social engineering tactics illicit the following:
The employee is afraid of not doing as asked by a superior
The employee jumps at the chance to save the day
The employee doesn’t want to let their company down
The employee may feel they can advance in their career by helping
The scammers craft their messages with speed and urgency in mind, urging the employee to act without hesitation. With a note of “the CEO will be out of touch,” they quickly reduce any possibility that someone might attempt contact to verify its legitimacy – leaving no time for second-guessing or doubt!
Illinois Woman Scammed Out of More Than $6,000 from a Fake CEO Email
With numerous variations of the scam circulating, unsuspecting victims could face devastating financial losses. Unfortunately for employees, companies are held harmless if they fall prey and purchase gift cards with their own money.
In a shocking twist of events, an unsuspecting woman from Palos Hills was scammed out of over $6,000 after receiving what seemed to be a legitimate request from her company’s CEO.
As a reward for exemplary work, the woman received an email from her boss and company CEO informing her that she was one of several staffers chosen to receive gift cards. It was the perfect way to recognize their hard-earned efforts!
The boss, renowned for his generosity towards employees, sent an email concluding with a request to purchase some gift cards. Could the employee oblige?
After obliging the first request to purchase gift cards from Target and Best Buy, the woman received another seemingly harmless inquiry asking that she take a photo of them. With no threat or suspicion attached to it, just a polite explanation that they were putting everything on a spreadsheet – how could she say no?
The woman thought she was helping out her boss with an important task, but quite the opposite happened. When she arrived at work later that morning and shared what had transpired, it became apparent to them both that a thief had tricked her into buying gift cards for over $6,500 – leaving this unsuspecting victim in emotional turmoil as the reality of being scammed set in.
Tips for Avoiding Costly Phishing Scams
When it comes to unusual requests, always be sure to double check before taking any action.
Rather than relying solely on the words of an email or text, if you haven’t heard from a friend in awhile and there appears to be something amiss take proactive steps. Stop by their place unannounced (or give them a call) to make sure everything is alright – especially when it involves anything related to money! Confirm with other means that any requests made are legitimate before taking action.
Instead of letting your emotions lead and drive your actions, think before you act.
Don’t be a victim of scamming – think before acting! Moments of pause and consideration can go a long way in recognizing potential scams. Take time to evaluate the situation calmly and carefully; is this too good to be true or does it seem suspicious? Developing sound judgement will help protect you from becoming prey.
It’s always wise to explore your options and get multiple perspectives.
Don’t rush to judgment! Having a trusted advisor with IT knowledge review any important messages before you act can help avoid costly mistakes.
Are your employees in need of a crash course on phishing protection?
Stop phishing scams in their tracks! Protect your organization with the most comprehensive training available. Update and arm your team against ever-evolving cyber threats by contacting us today for a free consultation – don’t wait another minute to safeguard vital information from malicious attacks.
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