Watch out for Kobe Bryant scams: BBB

The Better Business Bureau is warning basketball fans, and others, to be on the lookout for scams involving Kobe Bryant as fraudsters try to capitalize on the NBA legend’s death.

The agency is advising people to be extra cautious as they browse and shop online, taking time to think before you click.

“Like most other instances of globally devastating news, especially those that concern celebrities, there will be scammers and fraudsters hoping to exploit the public during this time of grief,” said Karla Laird, Manager for Community & Public Relations for B.C.’s Better Business Bureau.

There are three types of scams that are particularly common following the unexpected death of a celebrity:

Spear phishing
These are emails that are directed towards an individual, organization or business with a catchy headline to grab your attention. The sender claims to be from a reputable news organization capitalizing on trending news with an exclusive video, image or document they want to share with you. There is typically a link that will lead the user to a malicious website if they click on it.

To avoid this type of scam, be sure to check the sender’s email address. If you do not recognize it, delete it.

Click baiting
This typically takes the form of a sensationalized post about trending news items highlighting exclusive, breaking or urgent news that incites people to literally ‘click on it’. Click bait posts usually include keywords like ‘amaze’, ‘shocking’ or ‘never before seen footage’. Once you click on the post, you may be taken to a site that allows cyber criminals to hijack your account or steal personal information.

To avoid click bait traps, try to remember that if it sounds too outlandish or too good to be true, it is probably a scam. You can also hover your mouse over a link to see where it will take you before clicking on it.

Clickjacking
Even if the email or link seems to be coming from a friend, you should still exercise caution, as it may not actually be your friends who are ‘liking’ or sharing scam links to photos. Their social media account may have been hacked, and scammers could be using them to trick you into clicking on links that you would have otherwise avoided.

If you are a victim of a scam, whether or not you have lost money, report it at BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help others stay informed and avoid similar scams.