A scam is going around, whereby cybercriminals posing to be from Google send you an e-mail on Gmail. It begins with an enticing subject that says “Online Reward Program,” and says the user has won a prize for making the 18.25 billionth search on Google.
Here is what the email says:
Congratulations! You are the lucky Google user. Every 10 millionth search is reached worldwide, we will proclaim a lucky user to send out a thank-you gift. You are the lucky user!”
In addition to sending deceptive emails, hackers also use pop-up messages to lure people into their traps.
Although it’s not clear how many people were affected by these scams, but they do seem to have impacted a significant number of Gmail users because they have prompted a warning from Google. The company has asked people to be on their guard when browsing the web and to flag anything suspicious.
You encounter a pop-up advertisement on your mobile device or computer from a website you are browsing. The pop-up claims that you have won a gift from Google, and are asked to answer several questions to claim the gift. It’s possible that the pop-up may also ask you to enter your email or other personal information. Google does not offer spontaneous prizes in this format and you will not win a prize by completing the survey or entering your personal information. Close out of the pop-up window and do not enter your personal information.”
You should always be skeptical of emails and messages that claim you have won a prize. In this particular case, the emails use Google branding to trick unsuspecting users into believing they came from Google employees. So always check and double-check the address to ensure the email was sent by someone you trust.
