Internet: gift card scam redirects

Self-tutoring about surfing the ‘net: the tutor mentions a recent encounter.

I clicked on a site that seemed harmless enough, but redirected me to a gift card scam.

I was convinced the site was safe, so I keyed in its name on the search bar, rather than clicking its link in search. Sure enough – no redirect. I checked the site with an authority and was told it was all good. Still I wondered about the redirect – why, and how, could that happen from a site confirmed to be safe? (Yet, I admit, the same has happened to me in the past, just not often.)

I researched the situation online and noticed that hotogeek.com has an explanation. I’ve always found howtogeek.com’s content useful, so was pleased to check it out.

howtogeek.com exlains that if a site allows advertising, advertisers bid to show up there when you click the search link to it. A disreputable advertiser can therefore jump in the way of a reputable site by outbidding the others. Screening is meant to prevent it, but it can still happen.

As soon as the “gift card” redirect came up, I closed the tab. After checking the safety of the website I’d been trying to reach, I “circled back”, then tried it again. I really did want to see its content, which describes a small town in Canada that doesn’t get much coverage but which I might post about.

Visiting the website later, I didn’t get redirected.

Source:

howtogeek.com