ASK CAPPIE THE COMPUTER CAT
FAKE WEBSITES—BEWARE! Dear Cappie, I have heard awful things can occur if you go to a website that is fake. How can I be sure the website I visit is legitimate? Tony Dear Tony, It is not easy to tell real from fake in anything these days, and with more than 18,000 fraudulent websites created each day (according to Help Net Security), your question is an excellent one. First, when you yourself open a web browser or use a search engine to find a website, be sure to spell the website name correctly. Many scammers create websites with names that look similar to popular named websites, but they are either slightly misspelled or have a different domain name; e.g., the address uses .com or .org instead of .net. Once you are on a website, to be sure it is legit, double check the spelling of domain name and then then look for a padlock to the left of the URL in the address bar. That padlock indicates it is a secure site and encrypts (secures) data that is sent between the website and your device. If there is an “!” (exclamation mark), it is not certified, so any data you send is at risk of being intercepted. Hover over the padlock with your mouse, click it and then click on “Connection is Secure” from the menu that comes up. More details about the valid certificate will appear as who the certificate was issued to, who it was issued by, and the expiration date, and more. While this is not one56
hundred-percent risk free, it is a very good indicator that you are visiting a legitimate site. Another way to be more mindful of fake websites is to never click on an embedded weblink in an email even if it comes from a trusted source. Instead, go to your browser and type in the link there. Once on the site, click on the padlock and go through the above stated steps. The browser will have detailed information on the website’s authenticity so click on the padlock, carefully read the site information especially if it asks you to enter your own information on the site (like credit or debit card information, passwords, email addresses, etc.). In addition, you can use a site scanner application before going to a website. These apps “crawl the web” (visit websites and test the sites for malicious content such as malware, spam, etc.) that could bring dangerous content to your computer or other devices. The site scanner notifies you before entering the site of potential threats. Most will then ask if you still want to proceed to visit the site. There are free and for-pay sitescanner applications on the market rated by internet sites that deal with technology and security applications (CNET. com, Digitaltrends.com, Gizmodo.com, PCWorld.com,
TechCrunch.com, Techradar. com, Thenextweb.com, Tomsguide.com, Wired.com, ZDNet.com, etc.). Also be aware that cybercriminals are now exploiting QR codes (short for “quick response”). One example, recently found in several states, were stickers with QR codes overlayed on parking meters, and unsuspecting motorists were led to believe they could pay the parking fees online. Using their smartphones, they scanned the link to the malicious site, which in turn, collected their credit card information. Be wary of codes posted in public areas and examine the code to see if it fits with the background. Restaurant menus given by the server, advertisements in store windows, etc. make sense, but QR codes in an email may not. If you are already on the web with your PC or laptop, why use a second device to get to a website? Therefore, be extremely careful before scanning a QR code in emails, text messages, and paper junk mail. If you do scan a QR code, know that smartphones will preview the code’s URL while scanning. If it looks questionable, stop the scan. If you continue and enter the site, before entering any personal data, check if the site looks legitimate. You can also use a reputable secure scanner app, which is designed to spot malicious links before your phone opens them. For
View the digital version of “Ask Cappie” monthly column by going to www. grandinfo.com. Click on the More News>Grand Lifestyles Magazine> to choose the month you want to view. Special thanks to Diana and Darrell Bowman for the lovely photo of their eight-year-old pup, Casey, who tilts his head when you talk to him because he understands everything you say. Photo taken by Cheri Swinehart.
a list of various scanner apps, check your favorite tech site for recommendations. Finally, use a password manager. If a link or QR code takes you to a fake website (that might look convincingly like the real thing), a password manager knows the difference between a real website and a fake website and will not autofill your personal data and passwords. The bottom line is to use common sense: do not click on links that are unfamiliar.
Grand Lifestyles | March 2022 | suncitygrand.com
