5 Most Common Zoom Scams and How To Avoid Them

Zoom Scams: How They Work

Watch out for five types of Zoom scams happening these days. Here is how they work and how to prevent them.

As the popular video conferencing platform has surged due to remote work and socializing, Zoom has become a target for various scams. They include fake invites, job interview scams, and several phishing attempts. Let me get right into it.

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Here they are, one by one:

1. Fake Zoom Invites

Number 1: Fake Zoom Invites. This is the most common Zoom scam and involves receiving unexpected or unsolicited invites that ask you to click on a link to reactivate your account, provide personal information, or join a meeting.

These invites may appear to come from legitimate sources, but they are actually attempts to steal your information or install malware on your device.

Here are the most prevalent hooks that scammers use:

• “Welcome to Zoom”: In this version, the hacker encourages the victim to “activate” their Zoom account by entering private information, such as login credentials.
• “You missed a meeting”: Here, the victims are told they missed a Zoom meeting, for which a link is provided. The link, however, takes the victim to a fake Zoom page, where their private information, including login credentials, can be stolen.
• “Time to update your Zoom software”: In this version, the scammer sends an email that appears to be from Zoom, informing the victim that they need to update their software. The email contains a link that leads to a fake Zoom page, where the victim's private information can be stolen.
• Lookalike domain names: Scammers have registered domain names similar to Zoom to send phishing emails. One example is 360zoom dot com. These emails may contain links that lead to fake Zoom pages or malware.
• “Zoom Reactivation”: Users have reported receiving fake Zoom invites that ask them to click on a link to reactivate their account, provide personal information, or join a meeting.

2. Zoom Tech Support Scam

This type involves fake Zoom emails or text messages that appear to be from the Zoom administrators but are actually attempts to steal login credentials or personal information.

The invites for chat send users to websites that seem to be official Zoom pages, but the domain is slightly different.

If you wonder if a website is real or a scam, use the Scam Detector's website validator for free – click here to verify scam websites.

3. ZoomJob Interview Scams

This is very common these days, as job interview scams on Zoom have been reported frequently. Scammers post fake job opportunities and conduct interviews over Zoom, during which they ask for personal information such as bank account details under the guise of hiring the candidate.

These scams can be challenging to detect, as they often appear legitimate once the request for sensitive information is made.

4. Fake Zoom Virtual Events

Scammers create fake virtual events, advertise them on social media or through phishing emails, and charge attendees for access.

In a real-life case, a non-existent webinar on Zoom was promoted on social media, with participants paying registration fees. The event – which featured Ashton Kutcher as a participant – never occurred, leaving attendees defrauded.

5. Ransomware Attacks on Zoom

Cybercriminals use Zoom as an entry point to deliver ransomware, exploit vulnerabilities, or use social engineering techniques.

In a real-life case, a healthcare organization fell victim to a Zoom-related ransomware attack, compromising patient data and demanding a significant ransom.

How To Report a Zoom Scam

Warn your family and friends know about these prevalent Zoom scams. Feel free to share the article if it was helpful. However, you can report Zoom scammers and any suspicious activity officially to the Federal Trade Commission (most important), the Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI Internet Complaint Center by using the pages below:

Report To The FTC
Submit Claim To The Office of the Inspector General
Report To The FBI Internet Complaints Center

How To Combat Zoom Scams

The question is, how do you prevent all these scams? To avoid these fraudulent practices, it is vital to be cautious of unexpected or unsolicited Zoom invites. Here are some preventive measures:

1. Update Your Zoom: Regularly update Zoom and other software, use firewalls, and implement robust cybersecurity measures. Verify event legitimacy through official channels, and be cautious when providing payment information.
2. Verify the Source: If you receive an unexpected invite, verify its legitimacy through other means, such as contacting the supposed sender through a different channel.
3. Check the URL: Before clicking on any links, carefully review the URL to ensure it is legitimate. Zoom's official links will only have a zoom dot us, zoom dot com, or zoom dot com dot cn domain name.
4. Be Wary of Requests for Personal Information: Be cautious of any requests for personal or sensitive information, especially in the context of a job interview. Legitimate companies will not ask for sensitive information during the early stages of the hiring process.
5. Hover over links: Hover over any links in the email to see their destination. If the link leads to a fake website or a website with a different URL than the official Zoom website, it is likely a phishing attempt.
6. Be wary of unexpected or unsolicited invites: If you receive an unexpected or unsolicited invite, try to verify its legitimacy through other means, such as contacting the supposed sender through a different channel.
7. Check for spelling errors: Look for spelling errors or other inconsistencies in the email, which could indicate that it is a fake.

By remaining vigilant and following these preventive measures, users can reduce the risk of falling victim to Zoom-related scams.

How To Protect Yourself More

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Feel free to explore additional articles on related fraud. You can find them listed below this paragraph, so that you know more about online security. Last but not least, if you had any bad experiences, make sure to use the comments section below to expose other scammers.

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