Did you know that the most popular wish list
item is a gift card.
Isn't that like paying money to buy money.
Well, that's why cyber criminals also love them,
and they found how to fool you into buying
these cards for them.
Here's an example of how the scam works.
Let's say you got a new job.
And you post about it on Instagram.
A hacker sees this and sends you a phishing email that
looks like it's from your boss.
The message may read "hey, can you do me a favor
and go buy some gift cards.
I want to surprise the team for a big deal.
We closed.
So please keep this quiet.
Just email me the codes and I'll send it to them.
I'll reimburse you for whatever it
cost" A new employee may be too afraid to question the boss.
And this is exactly what hackers are hoping for.
There are many variations of this scam.
It may come from a good friend or even family members.
So if it sounds like a strange request it probably is.
And always call to verify the request over the phone
or in person.
Oh, and don't open gift cards from people you don't know.
They can be a virus but that's for another video.