It’s no secret that online scams can be mistaken for something real, and that’s why it’s crucial to warn people of them. The latest scam is called the “do me a favor” scam and it works like this: You receive an email from someone you think you know and they mention how busy they are. Then they ask you to "do me a favor.” Here’s where it gets tricky: They will typically ask you to buy a gift card for them, send a picture of both sides, and they’ll reimburse you later. As you might have guessed, you’ll never see that money again. The scam works because hackers attempt to make it seem like they’re someone you know. They might do that by using a similar address to that of your friends or loved ones. Unlike other online hoaxes, the “do me a favor” scam involves gift cards because once they have pictures of both sides of the gift card, they can instantly download the funds. The most foolproof way to avoid falling into this trap is by reaching out directly to the person who supposedly sent the email, and do it by phone so you will be actually talking to the person. You can also check the validity of the email address, which typically is off by one or two numbers or letters. You know what they say: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
