Securing your Garmin account: tips to avoid falling for phishing scams

In the digital age, it is very important to keep your personal information safe. A scam targeting Garmin smartwatch users underscores this point, highlighting the need for vigilance and awareness. The scam, which circulates via email, threatens users with account deletion due to inactivity, urging them to reactivate their accounts.

All smartwatch owners should be wary of this, no matter if you have an Apple Watch, a Fitbit, Polar, Garmin, Suunto or Xiaomi.

This morning I received the following email.

“It’s been years since you have been active on your Garmin account. If you continue to be inactive, your account will be deleted in 60 days. If you’d like to keep your account and data, sign in at Garmin.com/account and we won’t delete it.

Looking through the email, I noticed that it is for an email address I may have set up years ago with Garmin, and have not used it since. So it appears to be genuine. In any case, no need for me to click on anything as I am happy for them to delete that account.

But, a few users on Facebook have noticed the following message. It is worded slightly differently.

For some of those that receive this type of communication, it will not be an official message from Garmin. Instead, it’s an attempt at phishing.

This is a type of cyber attack in which scammers pose as trustworthy organisations to get people to give up sensitive information. In this case, the scammers are likely using a spoof site to capture users’ login credentials. They basically used a genuine email that Garmin sends out, and tweak it slightly and alter the links.

Bad things can happen if you fall for one of these scams. Once the crooks have access to your account, they might be able to see a plethora of data. This includes your name, address, and maybe even your payment information. Also, they could keep track of your fitness activities, which could reveal your daily schedule and where you go, putting your privacy at risk.

How to keep yourself safe

So, how can you avoid these kinds of scams? Awareness is the first line of defence.

Be wary of any email you didn’t ask for, especially if it wants you to give personal information or click on a link. Always check the sender’s email address, and if you’re not sure, call the company directly using the information on their website.

Second, never click on links in emails that look sketchy. They could take you to fake websites that are trying to steal your information or download malware onto your device. Instead, type the website’s address directly into your browser if you need to get to your account.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

Also, it is a good idea to delete this type of email as soon as you get suspicious. There is, of course, a chance that the email is real. But you probably know if you haven’t logged into your smartwatch of fitness tracker account in a long time. On its website, Garmin states that you will only get that type of email if “your Garmin account hasn’t been used on any of our sites or services for a long time.” And that the email address on the profile will get more than one message before the account is deleted.

Lastly, you might want to think about turning on two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts. Many wearable brands, including Garmin, now offer this. It adds another layer of security and makes it harder for scammers to get into your account, even if they know your login information.

Like this article? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and never miss out!