The holiday season should be one of laughter and joy, of coming together with friends and family and goodwill to all men. However, if you are not careful, you can fall prey to one of these cyber scams this year and find that your holidays are more about legal action and long phone calls than Christmas cheer.
One of the most prevalent cyber scams out there today is the offer of a “free iPad.” There are hundreds of these cyber scams in operation, including one that requires you to buy other cheaper products to ‘qualify’ and enter your credit card information into a website (which is then stolen), and one that wants you to enter your cell phone number (and signs you up for an expensive, unwanted service). You don’t get the iPad, either – surprise surprise.
Fake gift cards are another very popular cyber scam this year. These scams usually revolve around you signing up as a “fan” of a product to get a free gift card, taking several quizzes and entering your personal information. The identity thief gets your personal information, you get nothing.
Holiday job offers are also prevalent cyber scams this season, sadly. If you see links on Twitter or Facebook promising a high-paying holiday job, it’s really one of many cyber scams. These will just steal your identity and your financial information. Just remember – if it looks too good to be true, it always is.
Locations that offer free Wi-Fi are also prone to cyber scams. If you find that you use these locations frequently (hotels, coffee shops, bookstores, etc.) then make sure that your computer’s security system and antivirus is turned on and working correctly before you connect. Thieves love to target these areas because it is very easy to hack into your computer when you’re connected to these free networks and steal any personal data they find in your computer – or even just give you a ‘fun’ virus if they find nothing worth stealing.
Be safe this holiday season, and avoid these cyber scams. Don’t think it won’t happen to you!
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