The holidays are a time when we gather with our friends and family, share memories, and exchange gifts with one another. Cybercriminals take advantage of this time of year but for the wrong reasons. With everyone distracted by the holidays, cybercriminals can take this opportunity to unleash their plans to scam. For this holiday season, prepare yourself and keep yourself safe from any scams throughout the holiday.
Your Package Is On The Way
With the bombardment of Amazon packages coming through for the holiday season, it is not a huge surprise that cybercriminals have planned several ways to scam their customers. One of the most popular scams with packages involves receiving a text message or email that informs you of your tracking number, payment preferences, or delivery instructions. Even though these messages seem legit, they contain links that can infect your phone or computer with malware. So, be extra careful during the hectic holiday season and stay sharp on what is real and what is a scam.
Failed Delivery
Black Friday week and the holiday season consist of many packages being delivered 24/7. During this time, no one wants to be informed that their package went missing. Cybercriminals know this and use this as a way to infect and grab vital information from you. They can do this by prompting you to answer certain questions containing personal information that can be used to commit fraud. For this holiday season, look at these messages closely for any evident signs of it being a scam.
Gift Card Purchases
As you rush to buy gift cards for your friends and family during the holiday season, steer clear of any phony text messages that appear to be from someone you know. One of the most common holiday gift card scams includes receiving a phishing email or text message from a friend or family member. These texts ask you to purchase multiple gift cards for various reasons. During this hectic holiday season, instead of falling for this phishing scheme, reach out to your friends and family by phone to confirm if it is true.
Sketchy Surveys
When you go to buy gifts for your friends and family this holiday season, you may see promotions or contests on social media. These posts may be offering gift cards or vouchers in exchange for completing a “quick and easy” survey. Even though the surveys may look real, they are made as a means of capturing your personal information to commit identity theft or other types of cybercrime. Be extremely careful during the holidays, especially on social media with enticing offers that seem too good to be true.
Protect Yourself This Holiday Season
There are many ways to be scammed and have your information stolen, especially during the busy holiday season. Take the initiative to report the crime to your local law enforcement, alert your banks, or even file a complaint with the FBI. Even if you think that the scam did not take anything from you, the FTC encourages you to report it to help others from becoming a victim. Make sure your staff is ready to handle holiday scams! Contact tech42 to set up a training for you and your team.
