New Year's Fitness Frenzy Turns into Scam Frenzy as Gym Memberships and Personal Trainers Become Targets of Fake Deals
The beginning of a new year is often met with enthusiasm to kickstart a healthier lifestyle, which can be a lucrative market for scammers. As people rush to sign up for gym memberships or personal training sessions, fraudsters are quick to capitalize on the excitement.
Fake ads may pop up on social media platforms like Facebook, offering discounted gym memberships or personalized training plans that seem too good to be true. However, once payment is made, victims often realize they have been scammed. The scam involves cloned real ads or sites from legitimate businesses, with a common tactic being limited-time offers or extreme discounts.
Experts warn that these scams can be difficult to spot, especially since the web addresses may appear similar but not identical. Search engines like Google also become vulnerable to sponsored results, making it even harder for consumers to discern between genuine and fake websites.
NordVPN's chief technology officer, Marijus Briedis, highlights the tactics used by scammers. "Gym offers or training plans that rely on urgency, extreme discounts or pressure to 'sign up today' should be treated with caution," he advises. "There should always be independent reviews and limited contact details."
Briedis also warns of freely available AI technologies being used to manipulate images, making fake gym websites appear more convincing.
To avoid falling prey to these scams:
* Be cautious when clicking on links in unsolicited emails or social media messages
* Verify the website address by checking for any differences from a legitimate site
* Avoid paying by bank transfer, as this leaves you without access to section 75 protections
* Contact your bank immediately if you suspect a scam, followed by contacting Action Fraud
The beginning of a new year is often met with enthusiasm to kickstart a healthier lifestyle, which can be a lucrative market for scammers. As people rush to sign up for gym memberships or personal training sessions, fraudsters are quick to capitalize on the excitement.
Fake ads may pop up on social media platforms like Facebook, offering discounted gym memberships or personalized training plans that seem too good to be true. However, once payment is made, victims often realize they have been scammed. The scam involves cloned real ads or sites from legitimate businesses, with a common tactic being limited-time offers or extreme discounts.
Experts warn that these scams can be difficult to spot, especially since the web addresses may appear similar but not identical. Search engines like Google also become vulnerable to sponsored results, making it even harder for consumers to discern between genuine and fake websites.
NordVPN's chief technology officer, Marijus Briedis, highlights the tactics used by scammers. "Gym offers or training plans that rely on urgency, extreme discounts or pressure to 'sign up today' should be treated with caution," he advises. "There should always be independent reviews and limited contact details."
Briedis also warns of freely available AI technologies being used to manipulate images, making fake gym websites appear more convincing.
To avoid falling prey to these scams:
* Be cautious when clicking on links in unsolicited emails or social media messages
* Verify the website address by checking for any differences from a legitimate site
* Avoid paying by bank transfer, as this leaves you without access to section 75 protections
* Contact your bank immediately if you suspect a scam, followed by contacting Action Fraud
. shouldn't be that hard to spot fake ads on facebook tho? anyway, nordvpn's got some good tips on how to avoid gettin' ripped off 
it's like people have no idea how to spot a scam anymore. and the worst part is that those AI technologies being used to create convincing fake sites are super realistic - i mean who wouldn't believe they're getting an amazing deal on a personal trainer? 
anyway, i think we need to be super extra cautious online this year... like, verify every website address and don't pay by bank transfer unless u r absolutely sure it's legit. also, if ur friend is buggin u about signing up for some fake gym membership plan, just tell them no way lol 
. and yeah, fake ads are like, super easy to spot these days, i mean you can just check the website and see if the URL looks legit 
. but seriously though, these scams can be pretty sneaky, so it's always a good idea to double-check and verify any info before handing over your deets 
. personally, i think people should focus on finding their own motivation to get fit, rather than relying on some fancy gym membership or personal trainer 
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. Newsflash: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And with all the fake websites out there, it's hard to know what's legit and what's not. I mean, I just checked out a website that looked suspiciously like my gym's real site, but it was clearly a clone 
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No thanks.
i remember when i tried to join a gym last yr and they sent me this ad that sounded way too good 2 b true - discounted membership & personal trainer sessions 
anyway just make sure 2 verify the site before clicking on any links or entering ur deets, trust me u dont wanna get caught out 
But honestly, it's not worth risking your personal info or losing money. Make sure you do your research and check those websites out thoroughly before handing over your deets 
.
It's like, I get it, New Year's resolutions and all that jazz... but come on, people! You can't just sign away your money to some scammers who are gonna make you run marathons or something. I mean, have you seen those fake ads on Facebook? They're like "Get fit in 30 days!" with a website that looks identical to the real gym's site... yeah, no thanks! 
Just use your brain, guys!
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theyre popping up everywhere on fb and insta! dont even click on it lol... idk how people fall for this stuff. the tech officer from nordvpn is low-key a genius btw, he broke down how scammers use urgency & pressure to trick ppl 
gotta stay vigilant! also, why cant we just have legit reviews and websites w/ less ads? 
anyway, dont get caught slippin' by these scams, verify that website address and dont pay by bank transfer, fam 
. I mean, who wouldn't wanna get a sweet deal on a personal trainer? 
. Make sure 2 check website addresses carefully & avoid clicking on links from suspicious emails or messages 
. And don't even get me started on those "limited-time offers" that sound way too good to be true 
. Anyway, like, thanks for the heads up Marijus Briedis 
! Use your common sense and check those website addresses for any differences from legit sites, 'kay? Don't click on anything from unsolicited emails or social media msg's, just keep it safe