Google Drive Fake Replica

How the scam works:

Many of us use Google Drive every day to share documents with work colleagues. The user-friendly interface and file sharing capabilities make it a no-brainer program to make a vast portion of our workday operate in a more streamlined fashion. But just as with any online program, there are scam artists who are trying to take advantage of our desire for simpler online solutions.

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The Google Drive scam is very easy to fall for, especially when we’re busy answering phones and emails and trying to multi-task. The scam has been very active this year already.

The message, which is an excellent replication of a Google Drive message, informs the user that they have a new document to open, and they provide a link the user is to click to access the document.

Once the link is clicked, either malware is downloaded or a website trying to access personal identifying information appears – sometimes both happen simultaneously.

How to avoid the Google Drive Replica scam:

When using Google Drive, always make sure that you are not leaving the program to go to another website. You can do this by hovering your cursor over the “click here” link, to see the address to which the link is attempting to route you. If the website is not Google Drive, you can delete the message and rest assured that it is not a legitimate document. And as always, if there is any doubt whatsoever about an email, simply delete it. Better to be safe than sorry!

How to report the Google Drive Replica scam:

Make your family and friends aware of this scam by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:

Report To The FTC Here

 

How to protect yourself more:

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