Scammers are exploiting Pope Francis’ death with fake news and malware traps — here’s how to stay safe online
Unfortunately, cybercriminals often use sad news to trick you. Scammers are taking advantage of Pope Francis’ recent death by using AI to create fake images and news articles about the event. They post this phony information on social media accounts in hopes of capturing your attention. However, if you click the links in these social media posts, they’ll take you to harmful websites that steal your personal and financial information.
Scammers have also made fake news websites with stories about Pope Francis. Some take you to fake Google pages that try to sell you gift cards as a scam to steal your information and money. Others will install malware on your computer that is designed to steal your data. These malicious websites can even appear in online search results, so you might accidentally click on them. You could visit a dangerous website without even knowing!
Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to these types of scams:
- Keep your browser and computer’s operating system updated with the latest security features. This practice helps protect against malware.
- Don’t click unknown links on websites, in emails, or in social media posts. You should only visit trusted news websites.
- Be careful when viewing exciting headlines or viral content. Scammers often use these to trick you into visiting malicious websites.
Stop. Look. Think. And don’t be fooled.
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