First, let’s get it straight, Groupon is not a scam.  In fact, it is a successful website where you can get great deals on all kinds of goods and services by buying heavily discounted online coupons.  You also can share these coupons with friends through email or social media, such as Facebook.  But Groupon’s appeal is also appealing to scammers and identity thieves  who are presently sending fake emails that look just like the email that Groupon uses when a friend shares a coupon deal with you.  The problem comes with an attachment that in the fake email is called a “gift coupon.zip” which you are required to click on in order to access the coupon.  Don’t do it.  This attachment will actually infect your computer with a keystroke logging software program that will steal all of your information from your computer and make you a victim of identity theft.

TIPS

Remember my motto – Trust me, you can’t trust anyone.  As always, make sure that your computer security software is kept up to date and also make sure that you have security software on all of your other mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.  And never, ever, click on links unless you are absolutely sure that they are legitimate.  In a case like this, despite the fact that the email looks so legitimate, you can’t take the chance.  So before you click on such a link, go directly to Groupon’s customer support and inquire whether the email you received was legitimate or not.