While “Black Friday” – the day after Thanksgiving – is known as the beginning of the holiday shopping season when retailers go from “red” (posting a loss) to “black” (turning a profit), online shoppers recognize “Cyber Monday” – the Monday after Black Friday – as the beginning of the online holiday shopping season.
However, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are also the beginning of the holiday season for cyber-criminals looking to commit identity theft and fraud. According to the 2009 State of the Net Survey from Consumer Reports, online scams that included identity theft and fraud cost consumers $8 billion over the past two years.
As a result, security technology company McAfee, Inc. is warning online shoppers about “The Twelve Scams of Christmas” that could lead to identity theft and fraud during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the rest of the holiday shopping season.
To protect themselves during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holiday shopping season, McAfee offers consumers tips on how to avoid identity theft and fraud and steer clear of “The Twelve Scams of Christmas” that could make their holidays a little less happy. Each of the following are examples of ways cyber-criminals can trick consumers into giving away personal and financial information in order to commit identity theft, fraud, and other crimes:
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Fake charity websites;
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Fake delivery invoices;
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Fake “New Friend Request” e-mails;
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Holiday e-cards carrying computer viruses;
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Fraudulent discount jewelry websites;
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Unsecured, public area computers;
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Fraudulent holiday-related websites;
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Job-related e-mail scams;
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Auction site fraud;
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Password theft;
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E-mail banking scams, and;
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Ransomware scams.
In order to avoid identity theft, fraud, and other scams during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the rest of the holiday shopping season, McAfee advises online shoppers to protect their computers and personal information by: avoiding suspicious e-mail links; updating security software; shopping on secure networks; changing passwords, and; using common sense.
In other words, if a deal seems “too good to be true” during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holiday season, it could lead to identity theft and fraud instead.
MyBackgroundCheck.com is a leading provider of consumer requested “personal” background checks that allow consumers to keep their private information up-to-date, accurate, and safe from identity theft and fraud. To learn how personal background checks can help prevent identity theft and fraud during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holiday shopping season, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. Follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.
pr@mybackgroundcheck.com