A VPN is an anonymity tool that will encrypt your internet traffic and keep your data private. But there are a lot of scams involved, and in this article, we have listed a few most common VPN scams you will need to watch out for in 2023.
When you come across free VPN services that promise lifetime validity and complete online anonymity, be aware, it could most likely be a scam. Though such offers could seem attractive, you must not fall for them. That is because these are certain tricks scammers use to steal sensitive user data. Free VPN services may not charge you for using their service, but they might steal your personal data and sell it to third parties like advertisers or the dark web for a huge sum.
Are VPNs a Scam?
VPNs by themselves are not a scam, but if you happen to go for a VPN service from a suspicious service provider, you could become a victim of data theft. VPN services like NordVPN, Surfshark VPN, ExpressVPN, etc., are legitimate VPN services that anonymize their users’ online traffic and keep their data private and secure. On the other hand, there are fake VPN services that only promise to keep their users’ data secure, but in reality, they may not do so.
They might offer free services but earn money using your data; it could be by selling your personal details to scammers or displaying annoying ads. It does not stop just there and scammers might inject malware into your device and may not even secure your data. To stay away from scammers and spammy VPN services, you will need to be aware of the most common VPN scams and educate yourself on the scams.
Popular VPN Scams to Be Aware of in 2023
Here are the most common VPN scams you will need to watch out for in 2023.
1. Lifetime VPN Subscriptions
When you look for VPN services online, you will come across VPNs that offer lifetime subscription plans and you will also come across services that promise to offer all VPN features for free for a lifetime. These offers often sound captivating, but it is important to be cautious of such offers. These promises may not be real and subscribing to one such VPN could put your data at risk. Just like premium VPN services, free VPN companies also need the resources and money to maintain their servers and to deploy new VPN security features. Your data may not remain secure with such VPNs. Free and lifetime VPNs may not be there forever and are more likely to disappear in the future.
When you come across VPN services that offer lifetime subscriptions, remember that they do not refer to your lifetime. If the company shuts down for some reason, you will lose your subscription. Some VPN companies initially promise to offer lifetime subscriptions, but they will make changes to their policies and subscription plans later on. You will not be able to do much to get back the money you paid and in most cases, you will be required to pay more to continue using their services. Likewise, such VPN services may seem genuine in the beginning, but as days go by, connection speeds could slow down and you might also face privacy and security issues.
2. Free VPN Services
Most free VPNs steal and sell their users’ sensitive data to advertisers and other third parties. They do so to earn money to maintain their infrastructure. They may display irrelevant ads and redirect you to spammy websites that could steal your data or inject malware into your device. So it is important to check whether the VPN service is legitimate before you subscribe to a long-term plan. Remember, VPN services that are free will definitely make money through some other ways, which would most likely be through selling your personal data.
However, there are also certain legitimate VPN services like Atlas VPN that offer a free plan in addition to their premium subscription plans. Nevertheless, if you come across a free VPN, it could possibly be a fake service. Unlike paid VPN services, free VPNs might steal and sell your personal data, including your personal details, browsing history, and more.
When it comes to features, you cannot expect them to offer all the top VPN features premium VPN services like NordVPN, Surfshark VPN, etc. offer. Such VPN services will not offer military-grade encryption and will not encrypt your data. You will indirectly be putting your data at risk by choosing to use a free VPN service. Instead, we recommend using premium VPN services like Atlas VPN, which offers a free plan. You can also try Surfshark VPN or NordVPN for free using their free trial and money-back guarantee.
3. No-Logs Policy
Though all VPN services promise to offer a no-logs policy and promise to not keep track of your online activities, it is important to read their privacy policy to understand more about their no-logs policy. If the privacy policy of the VPN service claims that the VPN service logs your IP address, login details, browsing history, etc., it is a huge red flag and you must stay away from such VPN services. That is because many use VPNs to stay secure and anonymous, so if the VPN logs your critical details, you cannot remain anonymous online.
We recommend going for VPNs that use RAM-based servers, like NordVPN, Surfshark VPN, and ExpressVPN. If the VPN servers run on RAM, you can be assured that your data cannot be tracked or stored.
4. Fake VPN Services
Just like free VPNs, fake VPNs are also attractive and they have websites that seem legitimate. However, when you download their software, which you think is a legitimate VPN software, you will only be downloading malicious software. Such malware will infiltrate your device and steal your sensitive data. If you happen to fall victim to such scams, you could most likely lose your sensitive data, which includes your financial information and Social Security information. Just like free VPNs, fake VPNs also promise complete online privacy and anonymity, but in reality, they will steal your personal data and your money. Such fake VPNs will not have any VPN software and no customer service you can contact to get your money back.
5. Fake Reviews and Comments
Shady VPN services try to promote their businesses by publishing fake reviews. You can see fake comments about their services on Reddit, Google Play, App Store, and more to trick to into trusting their services. When you come across such positive reviews about a company that appears shady, you will need to remember that the comments are made by the VPN company itself or by people who the VPN company paid to make such positive comments and reviews. Genuine reviews and comments will not just be positive but a mixture of positive and negative points about the company.
It is mandatory to check whether the reviews, testimonials, and comments are real before you choose to go with that particular VPN service. Instead of checking reviews on the VPN service’s website, you can check out websites that provide unbiased reviews and discuss the pros and cons of the service without any partiality. This way, you will be able to understand whether the VPN service is legitimate or a fake one.
6. Fake and Unsubstantiated Claims
In most cases, fake VPNs make unsubstantiated claims and claim to offer the best service. They might claim to be the best, fastest, most secure, and so on. When you come across such claims, make sure to recheck, as such claims are too good to be true. These fake statements are used as a trick to extort money from you. When you fall for such scams, you will only end up losing your money and your sensitive data. You will not experience good speeds, but you will face a lot of interruptions and lags.
Ways to Protect Yourself From VPN Scams
Here are a few tips to prevent yourself from falling prey to fake VPN services and to choose a reliable VPN service that will offer security and encryption.
- Stay away from free and fake VPN services. Instead, go for a VPN service that is trustworthy. We recommend VPN services like NordVPN, Surfshark VPN, and ExpressVPN that offer best-in-class security features and come with a clear no-logs policy. Such VPNs guarantee complete online anonymity and security at a reasonable price.
- Lifetime VPN subscriptions, in most cases, turn out to be a scam. Stay away from untrustworthy services that sell lifetime VPN subscriptions. Some services may disappear in a few years and you will have no one to contact to get your money back or to even check what happened to your VPN subscription.
- Most reliable VPN services do not ask for too much personal information like your physical address, phone number, Social Security details, and more. If a VPN service asks for too much personal information, stay away from it.
- Check the VPN’s website and its privacy policy to know what kind of personal data it collects and stores. Check if features like split tunneling, kill switch, etc. work.
- Assess reviews, comments, privacy policies, and more before you purchase a VPN subscription. Check for spelling mistakes and odd errors on the website. Legitimate VPN services will communicate transparently about their services and their websites will not appear shady, as their websites will be created by experts and you may not find odd errors.
- The VPN service’s country of origin is something you need to look for. If the VPN service belongs to the 5/9/14 eyes countries, it is wise to avoid it.
The Final Word
VPN scams are very common these days. The only way to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of fraud is by being aware of the common VPN scams. Now that you are aware of the popular scams, we believe you will wisely choose a VPN service to stay secure and anonymous online.
