Snapchat has recently been experiencing security issues regarding the confidentiality of users’ names and telephone numbers. After a breach that results in millions of Snapchat users’ information being leaked onto the internet last month, the company has come under fire for its lackadaisical attitude about the gravity of the situation. On Tuesday, hackers struck again.
Deal site Groupon, renowned for its ease of use and fantastic daily deals, is loved and used by many. Hackers may have taken advantage of the popularity of the site to send spammy messages to Snatchat users that mimicked the look of a Groupon deal and used the company’s name and logo. The URL was just slightly off from the true Groupon URL, so some users may have been fooled into giving information to the false company. It is unclear whether the situation has become a theft issue, or was simply a spam issue to draw customers. The advertisement that was sent to users was for “Frootsnap” and showed a picture of a smoothie. Clicking on the ad lead users to AllRecipes.com, could then be followed to a dietary website, and eventually lead back to Groupon’s true website.
Possible Explanation for the Spam
Groupon has addressed the issue, saying that they are not affiliated with the false company. Groupon is taking action to have the site shut down. Groupon has an affiliate program, in which partnering website are paid ten percent of sales that are driven to Groupon through the partnering page. Groupon theorizes that one of the affiliates may have engaged in less ethical tactics, resulting in the spam.