Be on the lookout for all incoming communications, such as text messages, voice messages, and emails, as this is where you will find most scams.
The top scams to watch out for this holiday season:
- Smishing (fake SMS) or Phishing (fake emails)
- Delivery Scams: We were unable to deliver your parcel. Click here to confirm delivery details <<nasty link here>>
- We attempted to deliver your parcel, and you weren’t home. Click here to organize another delivery time <<nasty link here>>
- Fake Order Confirmation: There is an issue with your order from Amazon. Click here to fix the issue and avoid delays <<nasty link here>>
- Your order for <<insert product>> for $250 has been canceled. Click here to confirm your refund <<nasty link here>>
- Fake Charity Donation Requests Communications may appear pretending to be from known charities asking for donations.
- Gift Card Scams If you are asked to pay for a purchase online using a gift card, this is more than likely a scam.
Seven Tips to Avoid Holiday Scams:
- Do your research on what you want to buy.
- Only buy on official websites – ignore anything that comes to you via email, SMS, or a pop-up ad.
- There will be an increase in emails, notifications, and pop-up ads with amazing deals, all asking you to CLICK on something or OPEN something to access the deal. Unfortunately, many of these will be fake and are scams, so pay close attention and don’t click!
- Use a third-party payment service such as PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay which gives you an extra layer of protection. You can also get yourself a gift credit card or a separate credit card that is only used for online transactions.
- Don’t use free public wi-fi as it is not secure. If you must, get a VPN (virtual private network) that provides you both privacy and protection while you are online.
- Be aware of parcel delivery scams, especially via email and SMS. Always go to the official website to track parcels.
- Make sure you are not reusing your passwords and login details. Using the same email address is fine – however, don’t ever reuse your passwords. Utilize a password manager tool, such as LastPass, that can manage all your passwords for you.
Have a wonderful and safe holiday season!
Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.
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