Max enjoys staying up to date with economic and business news. One morning, as Max scanned news stories online, a breaking headline popped up about a severe economic crash. The article was detailed and convincing, citing unnamed experts and confidential reports. It painted a grim picture of the days ahead, advising readers to divest from certain stocks and invest heavily in others it claimed were recession-proof.
Driven by a mix of fear and the opportunity to outmaneuver the market, Max made the decision to adjust his portfolio accordingly, redirecting significant funds into the recommended assets.
Days turned into weeks, and the predicted economic catastrophe failed to materialize. It was only then that the truth dawned on him – he had followed the advice of a fake news article designed to manipulate the market or get unsuspecting users to click on certain malicious links.
Did you spot the red flags?
- Max should have verified the news through other sources before making decisions based on one article.
- Instead of scanning news stories online from random websites, Max should have specifically gone to the websites of credible news outlets that he trusted.
- Max should have paused before acting on emotions fueled by something he saw online.
What you should know about this scam
Many headlines (real and fake) related to current events use emotionally charged language or shocking details to get the user to click a link or stay on their site. It is important to be aware of this. Take a step back and think twice before acting on a headline.
Some cybercriminals create fake news websites that resemble the design, name, and URL of real news websites. It is important to scrutinize websites and URLs before interacting with a site or clicking on links.