A graphic image that represents a page does not exist notification.

How often has this occurred?

A domain that is spelled similar to Amazon is displayed in an address bar of a webpage.

But have you ever accidentally typed a misspelled web address into your browser only to find that the site actually exists?

Closeup of an employee’s eyes reading information on a computer screen.

Well, believe it or not, cybersquatters are counting on you to make these typing errors and visit their bogus site.

Two Facebook URLs are displayed onscreen, one is misspelled, and the other is spelled correctly.

This attack vector is called typosquatting and in most cases, the cybersquatter’s URL is remarkably similar in name to the legitimate site.

YouTube is misspelled as Youtubes.

The imposter URL may contain common misspellings, the addition of plurals such as s or es,

The YouTube URL is typed on a computer screen with three more variations in the spelling.

the addition or subtraction of periods, replacement, omission, or addition of letters or words,

Another variation of the YouTube URL is typed on a computer screen.

and the use of a different top-level domain, such as: .net or .com instead of .org.

A final variation of the YouTube URL is typed on a computer screen.

Or the country code top-level domain could be .cm instead of .co or .om instead of .com.

A person is thinking about scams they may be exposed to as icons representing fraud appear onscreen.

Once a victim has entered a fake site, they become susceptible to malware and the harvesting of their personal and financial information, account numbers, and passwords.

An employee is carefully reading information on a computer screen.

The most important thing you can do to reduce this risk is to slow down and thoroughly check the spelling of the domain name before you press enter or click any link.

An employee is laying their chin and elbows on a desk while they read information onscreen.

Sounds simple enough, but distractions, fatigue, complacency, and being in a rush can lead to costly mistakes.

A computer hacker wearing a headset in a dark room is looking at a computer screen.

And that is exactly what the bad actors are banking on.

An employee displays a confident smile as they face their computer while typing.

So, remember to take your time… when typing online.