Scam of the Week: Credential Scam with a Clever Twist

Have you ever tried logging into your account, but get an error message saying, “wrong password?” The odds are, you’ll try to type in the same password again, and again if you keep getting the same message. According to KnowBe4.com, there are cybercriminals out there taking advantage of this common behavior with a new scam.

Scammers will send an email with a link to view what they want to make look like an important document. However, if you click on the link, the document looks blurred-out, and is covered by a fake Adobe PDF login page. At this point, if you inter your email and password, you’ll receive an error stating that the password is invalid. The page allows you to try multiple times before eventually blocking you from viewing the document. The fact of the matter is, there was never any document to view. Instead, the cybercriminal has made an effort to save the victim’s email address and every password they tried to use. They can then use this information to try logging in as the victim on other websites, hacking into accounts.

Here’s what to remember:

• Keep in mind any site, brand, or service can be faked.
• Never click a link in an email that you were not expecting. If you’re not sure if the email is legitimate, then call the person over the phone who it appears to have been sent from, and ask if they sent this email.
• Always use a strong password that is unique to that specific account. This way, if your credentials are stolen, the cybercriminals can’t access your accounts on other websites.

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