As excitement builds for the King's Coronation across the United Kingdom on May 6th, Kaspersky today advises caution as it has uncovered a number of fake websites posing as official Royal outlets selling commemorative items such as coins, souvenirs, and other memorabilia.
Scammers are looking to exploit widespread public interest in the major Royal milestone by tricking people into unknowingly interacting with fake websites designed only to harvest personal information and steal money. Kaspersky has identified websites which are not only fake, but also unsecure, meaning that any card data, addresses, usernames, and other personal information can easily be harvested, used, and sold on to cybercriminals across the dark webs.
As the King's Coronation approaches, we have found clear evidence that scammers are ramping up their efforts to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration to deceive people and make a quick profit," said David Emm, Principal Security Researcher at Kaspersky. "Any information - personal and financial - that is shared with fake or unsecured sites could be harvested and used by criminals to steal money from bank accounts, and potentially even sold on through the dark web where it can be used by other criminals.
Emm continues, “We urge people to remain extremely cautious when
shopping online for Royal memorabilia, and take simple steps to avoid falling
victim to these scams. By taking a few extra minutes when shopping online, you
can ensure that your experience of the event is a positive one and that you
don't lose out.”
To avoid falling victim to fake Coronation website scams,
Kaspersky recommends:
