Diwali scam alert! Scammers are now using advertisements of Dove, CHANEL and others on YouTube to trick people

Tis the season of lights, fun, and games. But beware, as scammers are now taking advantage of the festive season to trick people and dupe them out of money. Online scammers are sending random festive greetings to netizens and then asking them to perform simple tasks to earn money.

In one of the recent scam messages received by an India Today Tech member, a scammer sends a message from a random number with a festive greeting. The sender then introduces himself as an HR representative from a reputed company and reveals that his company is working with YouTube advertising, offering small task jobs that can help you earn money. With the mentioned tasks, the scammer further claims to offer up to Rs 3000 per day for just liking YouTube videos.

The scammers further say that the job requires liking three video advertisements available on YouTube and then asks for screenshots of the likes. Following this, the scammer further asks to share payment transfer details in order to process the money.

You can see the conversation in the following screenshot.

While it is clear that the messages are scam messages and the good old tricks scammers have been using in the past few months to trick people, what rings the bell is that, when India Today Tech clicked the YouTube links to check the legitimacy of the links, the links redirected to the real advertisement videos on YouTube.

This is concerning because people who might investigate the opportunity might end up thinking it is a genuine chance to earn extra bucks, making them vulnerable to the scam.

This is not a phishing scam

It is important to note that the following scam is not a phishing attempt, where scammers try to hack devices using malicious links. Instead, in these scams, online fraudsters trick people by initially gaining their trust through greetings, real videos, and other means. They later execute their plan by obtaining bank details.

While we are unsure about what unfolds next, referring to reports from online scam victims, these types of scams involve sending real money to shared bank details to gain trust. The scammers then lure the potential victim into earning more money by joining another group on platforms like Telegram. Once the person agrees, the scammers create a new bank account, promising to share money from completed tasks.

However, once the victim is fully involved in the scam and attempts to withdraw their money, the scammers threaten them with tax and other legal issues, making them pay more to access the funds earned from tasks. In some cases, scammers even threaten the victim with money laundering charges, leading victims to deposit more money into the scammers' accounts.

How to stay safe

• While people often ignore and block such messages, awareness is important. Staying safe from such scams involves a combination of awareness, caution, and security measures. Here are some tips to help you protect yourself:
• Only accept friend requests or messages from people you know. Verify the identity of the person contacting you through other means, such as a phone call or another messaging app.
• Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown or unexpected sources. Be cautious of messages promising prizes, money, or opportunities that seem too good to be true.
• Enable two-step verification on your WhatsApp account. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a PIN in addition to your phone number.
• Keep your WhatsApp app updated to the latest version to ensure you have the latest security patches and features. Additionally, review and adjust your privacy settings to control who can see your profile information, status updates, and last seen details.
• Never share personal or financial information with unknown contacts or through unfamiliar websites.
• Report any suspicious messages or contacts to WhatsApp. This helps them take appropriate action against potential scammers.
• And most importantly, stay up-to-date on the latest scams and techniques used by cybercriminals. Knowing about common scams can help you spot and avoid them. Additionally, talk to your friends and family about scams. Awareness is essential for preventing scams.