‘Tis the Season to Be Cybersecure

As the holiday season approaches, cybercriminals ramp up their attacks hoping to catch consumers off guard. This year, their attacks may be aided by AI and more difficult to spot.

General Holiday Awareness Tips

• Treat every email and advertisement with suspicion. Don’t respond to unsolicited emails that ask you to click on a link or download an app to access a deal. Rather than clicking on a link from an email or text, go directly to the site of the company purportedly offering the deal. Watch out for spelling errors or incorrect grammar on email or text as these are typical red flags that help identify bogus content.
• Is it too good to be true? Look out for huge discounts on gift items, especially on social media posts or unfamiliar websites. These types of scams will impersonate major brands or nonexistent retailers to entice you with great deals for products you’ll never receive.
• Steer clear of Wi-Fi woes. Avoid conducting any business online (making a purchase, donating, accessing password-protected sites) while using a public Wi-Fi network unless you employ a virtual private network (VPN).
• Avoid peculiar payment methods. Any time you are prompted to make a purchase or donation by wire transfer, cryptocurrency or gift card, it’s a scam.

Trending Scams

• Charity scams
• Credit card decline scams
• Delivery scams
• Gift card scams
• Porch pirates
• Travel scams