How to Spot and Avoid Fake Download Buttons
When you want to download pictures or files on a website, you will sometimes find multiple download buttons on the same web page. There are many advertising tricks on the Internet, and one of the most annoying types is fake download buttons. You think you’re downloading something you want, but in reality you might just end up with malware, spam, or phishing. This time, the author has put together some tips to help you spot fake download buttons and avoid falling into this trap of pretending to be real.
Why are fake download buttons dangerous?
Fake download buttons are not only annoying, they can also be dangerous. These fake buttons are usually deceptive advertisements, and you may face various security threats after clicking on them, such as malware, junkware, and phishing. Malware can steal your personal information, corrupt your files, or hijack your browser. Junkware can slow down your computer’s performance, display annoying ads, or change your settings. Phishing can trick you into entering your login credentials, credit card information, or other sensitive personal information.
Avoid those big, flashy buttons
Finding the right one among the many download buttons on the web is the most important thing. The fake ones are usually very expensive, but one thing they usually have in common is that these fake buttons often grab your attention with their gorgeous, huge appearance. Usually the real download button will not jump like this visually. It will basically match the overall style of the website, or it will be presented as an inconspicuous small text embedded link.
Look for the small X or “Advertisement” (or something like AD) icon
Another thing that not only reveals the annoying fake download button, but also another, more subtle button, is the ad tag. Essentially, every ad you see online will have a small, inconspicuous “X” icon in the corner, an “Advertisement” (sometimes written as an advertisement), usually in a toned-down color and in a very small font. , AD, etc.) tag, or the extremely common “AdChoices” logo. In short, real download buttons will not be marked as ads, you just need to remember to look around for various suspicious tags before mindlessly clicking on the download button.
Test URL without clicking
Sometimes, ad tags are easy to miss and fake download buttons are cleverly designed to mimic the real ones. In these cases, your best bet is to hover your mouse cursor over the button to quickly see the URL. Be wary if a link appears as “googleads,” “doubleclick,” or some other lengthy URL that doesn’t seem to behave as expected.
Go directly to the source
The tips above will all help you spot fake download buttons, but there’s a better way to avoid them altogether. If you know exactly what you want to download, it is safest and harmless to download directly from the official website. Most sites with a lot of download buttons are not trustworthy to begin with, and while there are exceptions, it usually means you’re probably in a situation where you’re trying to avoid a place you should avoid.