By Karen Clay
(Source Baltimore Times):
Excitement is in the air and the shopping has begun! Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas are around the corner along with other traditions practiced during this festive season. The Andy Williams song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” invokes the image of a celebratory time for many of us, filled with excitement and anticipation, joy, and exuberance.
Amidst the holiday cheer, however, it’s crucial to remember that this is also a prime time for cybercriminals to be Dr. Seuss’ “Grinch Who Stole Christmas.” The increase in holiday shopping and digital transactions opens doors to various threats, including gift card frauds, social engineering tactics, and online shopping challenges. As we embrace the spirit of the season, let’s also equip ourselves with the knowledge to ensure safe shopping and gift-giving.
Here are some tips to keep the Grinch away and criminals at bay!:
Gift Card Frauds
Gift cards have become an easy, convenient way to spread cheer among family, friends, and co-workers. It is the go-to item when we don’t know the ideal gift to give someone. It can be a real “downer” to inadvertently give a loved one a card that has been compromised. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC,) enforces a variety of consumer protection laws affecting just about every area of commerce. They provide advice on their website (https://bit.ly/3R1wY2o) about how to avoid gift card scams. The Consumer Reports website (https://bit.ly/48032L6) is a good source of information on avoiding these scams as well.
A big reason that scammers often use gift cards to defraud people of their money is because they’re just like cash. It is hard to trace any misuse with these cards. Unlike credit cards, there generally isn’t any recourse for you when a gift card is stolen or used without your knowledge. Here are three top things to look out for relative to gift cards:
- When purchasing a gift card, examine it closely to make sure the protective sticker is still on the card and the packaging has not been altered. This includes looking for tears on the packaging, or a barcode that appears to be taped over.
- Keep a copy of the gift card and the store receipt. You can take a picture of the gift card and store the receipt with your phone and keep it in a safe place. This information will help you file a report with the gift card company if you need to.
- Gift cards are never used to pay bills! If a scammer calls you trying to dupe you into paying a utility bill, tell you you’ve won a prize, pretend to be a family member with an emergency – anything that ends in an instruction for you to purchase a gift card and provide them the number, don’t do it! These are all scams designed to get money from you.
Being vigilant in the purchase and use of gift cards will keep your holiday merry and your wallet happy!
Safe Online Shopping
During this period, we probably shop online more than any other time of the year. Scammers know this, so they make sure they do everything they can to lure you to unsafe sites that appear legitimate to take your money or infect your device for later exploitation. According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agancy (CISA,) The three main ways they accomplish this are:
Creating fraudulent sites and email messages — Unlike traditional shopping, where you can physically enter a store, thereby knowing the store is what it claims to be, attackers can create malicious websites or email messages that appear to be legitimately coming from a known establishment or charity.
Intercepting insecure transactions — If an online vendor does not use encryption, an attacker may be able to intercept your information as it is transmitted. It is important to refrain from purchasing items from sites that are not secure.
Targeting vulnerable computers — If you do not take steps to protect your computer from viruses or other malicious code, an attacker may be able to gain access to your computer and all the information on it. Once your computer, or even your smartphone is infected, it can also be used to attack the vendor’s website through the malware that was installed.
Prior to making a purchase online, consider the following:
Read customer reviews of the merchant and check trusted sources, like the Better Business Bureau.
Use a credit card instead of a debit card. You might be able to opt for a third-party payment service instead like PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Being mindful of these suggestions and paying attention to the above information can ensure that you continue to have the happy, joyous holiday season you have envisioned.
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