The holiday season is the prime time for fraudsters looking to take advantage of distracted, frenzied shoppers. Consumers are worried about protecting their data because of the spike in hack attacks, phishing schemes and scams. Despite the festivities and spirit of giving, it is becoming more difficult for consumers to avoid the bad guys in a dangerous digital world.
Don’t let Cyber Grinches steal your cash and holiday cheer. To keep you cyber safe for the holidays, we’ll be counting down the twelve most popular scams to watch out for this season.
Fraudsters claiming to be from Amazon send a phishing email to the consumer stating there is a ‘problem’ with their order. To resolve the issue, the email asks customers to confirm ‘certain information’ by clicking on a link. Otherwise, they will not be able to access their Amazon account. This directs people to a fake website, where they are required to input in personal and account information. When customers have entered in their details, they are asked to click a ‘Save & Continue’ button. This then takes them to Amazon’s official website, again making it difficult for most people to suspect of any fraudulent activity.
Tip: Do not respond to emails asking you to update your information.
You can learn more about how to protect yourself from Amazon Email Scams and other scams from Adam Levin’s newest book, Swiped: How to Protect Yourself in a World Full of Scammers, Phishers, and Identity Thieves. This is your survival guide to help you avoid hackers, phishers, and scammers from becoming your problem during the holidays. With a clear headed, practical approach, Swiped is invaluable not only for preventing problems but helping consumers cope when dealing with identity theft incidents. Order your copy of the best selling Privacy and Online Safety book on Amazon.
