As kids go back to school, it’s that time of year for local high school football games. Lots of communities, especially here in the midwest, love to root on their town’s team – even if they don’t go to the game in-person. Many people enjoy listening to the game on the radio or watching it on their computer, tablet, or smart phone. Unfortunately, scammers like to take advantage of these people by floating malicious links around on the internet.
Here’s how sports streaming scams works:
- A fake social media account posts a link to “watch your team online.” They often will even tag schools’ social media accounts in order to look legitimate.
- Once you click the link, you’re asked to sign up with your name, email, and payment details.
- Instead of gaining access to a livestream of the game, you’re giving scammers access to your money.
How to protect yourself:
- Contact the school. Many schools now have official streaming partners. Before you click any links, reach out to the school and their athletic department to receive the official link from them.
- Review social media accounts. Scam accounts often have random names, low follower counts, and nothing but streaming links. Additionally, official streaming services don’t go around commenting links on people’s posts.
- Verify the website. A secure site will start with “https://” and show a closed lock icon in your browser.
- Be careful with links. Avoid clicking on streaming links shared in comments, messages, or emails from unfamiliar sources. Links are how lots of scams get off the ground.
If you come across a suspicious sports streaming link, report it to the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker at BBB.org.
At Guthrie County State Bank, we want our community to enjoy Friday night lights safely – without falling for fraud. Tune in for more Fraud Friday articles from GCSB.