New Chrome, Safari, Edge Shopping Warning—Never Google This Word

If you’re getting up early to grab a last-minute online shopping bargain this week, be warned, criminals are getting up even earlier, they know what you want, they’re ready to steal your money and ruin your holidays, and they have a nasty trick to play.

The FBI has already warned all online shoppers to avoid a raft of red flags when it comes to dangerous websites, and the U.S. cyber defense agency has now done the same. “Your best bet to avoid getting fooled,” CISA says, “is to purchase items directly from the websites of trusted vendors and stay alert by knowing what to look for. Be cautious of fake ads on social media platforms.”

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CISA’s advice is broadly the same as the FBI’s, albeit their concerns skew towards password security and data harvesting. But just like the Bureau, they warn shoppers to stick to encrypted websites, reputable vendors and credit cards.

Now another nasty twist on what to stop doing has just been highlighted. As SEO manipulation and poisoning surges, The Wall Street Journal warns shoppers that the most obvious search terms could be the most dangerous. Avoid searching “for things like ‘top vacuums’ or ‘best dishwashers,’ explaining that “some firms buy Google ads to promote these ‘ratings’ sites as a quick way to steer customers to pricey off-brand products and potential rip-offs.” Unsurprisingly, “best” seems to be worst.

The websites you’ll find, WSJ warns, often have red flags such as sponsored listings, foreign ownership, lack of contact information and gushing “expert” reviews.

“A quick Google search can lead you directly to online ads that have been purchased by threat actors,” GuidePoint Security says. “These ads often look legitimate and rank toward the top of search results, so that threat actors can get ahead of legitimate services or businesses.”

For all Chrome, Safari and Edge users, with their 95% share of the U.S. browser market, these warnings are critical and need to be taken seriously. Whether you’re using obvious search terms or something more specific, keep safe all the way through the holidays by keeping in mind the FBI’s top tips:

1. Carefully check URLs before you buy, make sure “it’s legitimate and secure.” Websites should have a secure connection padlock in the address bar and https at the beginning of the address.
2. Do not shop on a new website until you’ve done some research and checked reviews. Remember, reviews can be faked, so deep dive.
3. Don’t buy from websites or sellers acting “as authorized dealers or factory reps of popular items in countries where there would be no such deals.” You run a very serious risk of counterfeit items or no items at all.
4. Do not use sellers who say they live in the U.S. “but then respond to questions by stating they are out of the country on business or a family emergency.”
5. Don’t buy from websites with unusual shipping arrangements and don’t buy from sellers who request direct money transfers. Always use a credit card.
6. Don’t pay with pre-paid gift cards. “A seller will ask you to send them a gift card number and PIN. Instead of using that gift card for your payment, the scammer will steal the funds, and you’ll never receive your item.”

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The goal posts are constantly moving. AI is making scams harder to spot. Foreign nationals can now write more compelling, grammatically correct copy avoiding the telltale mistakes of old. Logos can be more convincingly copied. Product imagery can be easily faked. Search can be manipulated and almost 80% of marketing emails are now either scams or more dangerous malware.

But remember, the FBI warns, “if it seems too good to be true, that’s because it is.” And whatever you do, whatever you want, searching for the best will likely return you more than you expected—and not in a good way.