Fake competition e-mails

Oliver Herren

23/11/2023

Translation: Veronica Bielawski

People love to win. So much so that they can be easily fooled. Competitions are a popular way for scammers to take advantage of this, especially during Black Friday, Black Week and Cyber Monday.

Online scams are old as the internet itself. They come in all forms, from almost laughable to really crafty. One classic scam method is the fake competition. Digitec Galaxus is also affected, scammers turning up the heat again during Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday.

What are fake competitions?

At first glance, fake competitions look like regular competitions. However, their sole purpose is to obtain sensitive data from unsuspecting people. They lure you in with offers that sometimes seem dubious and promise immediate prizes without you having to qualify.

Why are fake competitions so dangerous?

Choosing the right time (e.g. Black Friday) to launch a fake competition is effective. Irrespective of this, scammers also use the brand names of well-known companies such as Digitec Galaxus to appear legitimate at first glance.

The whole spiel proves even more effective in combination. What’s more, these fake competitions often reach customers by e-mail and are often worded to create maximum psychological pressure. This is exactly what makes fake competitions so dangerous.

They weaponise the entire arsenal of methods to scam people. And since people like to win things for free and common sense often fails us, these competitions are very effective.

Fake competitions can have various fraudulent intentions:

1. Data theft: The main aim of these scams is often to obtain sensitive personal data. This can range from contact information to bank details. Scammers can then use this information to commit identity theft or financial fraud.
2. Phishing attempts: Fake competitions can also serve as phishing attacks where victims are tricked into entering their login credentials on fake websites. This grants the scammers access to private accounts, such as e-mail or bank accounts.
3. Malware distribution: Sometimes, fake competitions are a way to get victims to download malicious software. This can compromise the security of their computer or mobile device.

So, how can you protect yourself from this? First off, you need to be aware of what these fake competitions can look like.

Here are a few examples of fake competitions:

Scammers also on Facebook

Scammers are also active on Facebook – with much more obvious methods. If you’re active on Facebook, definitely check out my article on how to protect yourself against them.

How to protect yourself against fake competitions

First things first: no company will declare you the winner of a competition and send you an e-mail if you haven’t entered yourself. To do so would make no sense. So, this is enough to tell you it’s a scam.

Competitions always rely on transparent terms and conditions. If this is not the case, the competition is probably fake.

If you’re are still unsure, take a close look at the sender of the e-mail. External parties don’t have access to the sender addresses (domains) of genuine companies such as Digitec Galaxus. In fact, you should always pay attention to the sender of any e-mail.

In the case of Digitec Galaxus, look out for the blue tick, which signifies a security certificate that only reputable companies receive. You’ll see our logo – and a blue checkmark – right in your e-mail client. Read my article below for more information.

Checking the authenticity of a competition is somewhat more time-consuming. Companies rarely refrain from sharing any competitions they have running on official social media channels and their own website. Should you not find any trave of it, chances are the competition you were e-mailed doesn’t stem from the supposed company.

If you’re willing to invest the time and effort, the most surefire way to find out if a competition is real or not is to ask the company by contact form, e-mail or telephone.

A checklist to protect yourself

1. Check the source: Always pay attention to the sender’s e-mail address. The domain, i.e. the back part of the e-mail such as name@digitec.ch, isn’t so easy to fake.
2. Pay attention to details: Are there spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or is the visual design suspicious? But keep in mind that, in the age of ChatGPT, formulating plausible content is no longer all that difficult.
3. Don’t disclose any sensitive data: Never enter any sensitive data such as your bank account details in competitions.
4. Beware of offers that are too good to be true: Taking part in a competition is no guarantee you’ll actually win anything.
5. Use modern e-mail clients: E-mail clients such as Gmail or Outlook continuously invest in spam and phishing protection. And protect your computer with up-to-date security software.
6. Check the official channels: If in doubt, visit the company’s official website or contact them directly to verify the authenticity of the competition.
7. Stay aware and educate yourself: Inform yourself regularly about common scam methods and also create awareness among those around you to the dangers of fake competitions.

Long story short, it’s not always easy to spot a fake competition. Less tech-savvy people can especially struggle to recognise these scams.

Survey on fake competitions

Oliver Herren

Chief Innovation Officer

Oliver.Herren@digitecgalaxus.ch

Cool: Creating interfaces between the real world and the world of pure information. Not cool: Driving by car to the mall to shop. My life happens online, the information age is where I feel at home.

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