Online scammers are now trying to get you to sign up for false VPN services

US lawmakers recently voted to give internet service providers the right to send your web browsing data to advertisers. While several major ISPs have since claimed they won’t be making that change, this vote has still caused many internet users to consider accessing VPN services so their browser history is more secure. However, a new report claims this has also caused a rise in online scammers who are trying to offer false VPN services to unsuspecting consumers.

According to Motherboard, the tech website owned by Vice, one such scammer is sending emails to people, offering access to “MySafeVPN”, which it claimed was launched by the Plex media streaming company. However, Scott Olechowski, Plex’s co-founder and Chief Product Officer, has denied that it has launched such a service. In fact, one user who said he actually decided to sign up for “MySafeVPN” later discovered that it doesn’t actually offer a VPN server to connect to.

Obviously, these kinds of scammers are similar to many others on the internet, who either email or call users offering to fix PC or mobile issues or try to offer services that don’t exist. It would appear that these new scammers are trying to play on the fears of internet users who believe their browser history is no longer secure.

If you are genuinely concerned about your browser safety, there are many legitimate Android VPN apps and services to choose from. In the meantime, users should be very suspicious of these kinds of emails offering VPN services. Looking for specific examples of VPNs you can trust? We highly recommend ExpressVPN, which costs just $8.32 per month, or VYPR VPN if you are looking for an option that is free for limited use. For even more options, be sure to check out our trusted VPN guide here.