{"id":67998,"date":"2025-01-24T16:44:23","date_gmt":"2025-01-24T08:44:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/?p=67998"},"modified":"2025-01-24T16:44:26","modified_gmt":"2025-01-24T08:44:26","slug":"kaspersky-uncovers-scams-exploiting-dubais-chocolate-craze","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/2025\/01\/24\/kaspersky-uncovers-scams-exploiting-dubais-chocolate-craze\/","title":{"rendered":"Kaspersky uncovers scams exploiting Dubai\u2019s chocolate craze"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Consumers across the world are eager to indulge in Dubai\u2019s luxurious chocolate. However, cybercriminals are exploiting this trend to deceive unsuspecting buyers. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kaspersky experts have uncovered a series of scams related to the growing demand, ranging from impersonating trusted brands to creating entirely fraudulent storefronts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Impersonating official stores<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>Experts at Kaspersky have identified a fraudulent campaign targeting consumers in the United Arab Emirates \u2013 where cybercriminals created fake websites impersonating Deliveroo, the trusted delivery service and Fix Dessert Chocolatier, makers of the famous Dubai chocolate. By mimicking the appearance of official stores and platforms, cybercriminals can exploit consumer trust and brand reputation to lure unsuspecting buyers into paying for chocolate \u201corders\u201d that are never fulfilled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Standalone fraudulent stores<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other cases, scammers created entirely fake e-commerce platforms, posing as independent vendors from around the world. These fraudulent websites promise Dubai\u2019s chocolate but vanish once payments are collected, leaving consumers empty-handed. Fraudulent shops like these target users all over the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cScammers are often quick to capitalize on trends, and the Dubai chocolate craze is a prime example of this. Using tactics that prey on consumer enthusiasm and trust in established brands is an effective way for cybercriminals to succeed,\u201d warned Olga Svistunova, a security expert at Kaspersky. \u201cTo protect themselves and avoid disappointment, it is crucial that users pay attention to details, take time to verify the authenticity of online stores and be wary of any deals that seem unusually generous \u2013 they may be designed to deceive.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kaspersky has provided the following tips to avoid falling victim to such scams:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00b7 &nbsp;&nbsp;Verify website authenticity: Check URLs, domain names, and customer reviews before making purchases online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00b7 &nbsp;&nbsp;Be wary of unsolicited offers: Scammers often use pop-ups, ads, or phishing emails to direct users to fraudulent sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00b7 &nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid sharing personal information: Only provide sensitive details on secure, verified platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00b7 \u00a0\u00a0Use comprehensive security solutions: Reliable cybersecurity software, like\u00a0Kaspersky Premium, can block phishing sites and prevent malware infections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kaspersky experts have uncovered a series of scams related to the growing demand, ranging from impersonating trusted brands to creating entirely fraudulent storefronts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":68007,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[286,101,54,2103],"class_list":["post-67998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-headlines","tag-it-security","tag-kaspersky","tag-security","tag-security-breach"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67998","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67998"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67998\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68008,"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67998\/revisions\/68008"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67998"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67998"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67998"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}