While you'd like to focus on the positive aspects of the holiday season (family, friends, food, gifts), scammers are still focusing on trying to steal your money, or stealing your identity.
Many of you will spend more time online during the holidays and you might be sharing more personal information as you shop for those holiday gifts. So, you need to be extra careful in the coming weeks to avoid con artists.
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The computer security experts at McAfee have come up with a list of the top Scams of the Holiday Season. Among the top scam is the fake shipping email. Some scammers will pretend to be from the major delivery companies. They will send an email claiming you have an undelivered package. Do not click on any links in those emails and do not share any personal information.
READ: McAfee Top 12 Scams of the Holidays
Also, beware of deals that are too good to be true, beware of fake charities, don't download any apps from strange sites, and make sure any e-cards come from well-respected sites.
McAfee also says some scammers will offer fake travel deals on hotels and airfares. These could also be a trap, McAfee says think before you click! Beware of calls from anyone claiming your computer is broken and they can fix it.
How To Protect Yourself
So, how do you protect yourself? It's important to follow the same guidelines that Ruth to the Rescue has been sharing with you all year long. First, always be suspicious of any deals, offers, or emails that come into your inbox unexpectedly. In many cases, you can safely ignore the offers.
However, if your interest is piqued for any reason, don't click on those strange links or try to grab some great deal someone is promising. Instead, take the time to do your homework and verify those claims. If you see an email that seems to be from FedEx, don't click on links in that email. Go to the legitimate FedEx website and check the story through a reliable source.
It's also a good time of year to put your caller ID to work and ignore any strange calls that come into your home. It can be very tempting to feel you must answer the phone, but train yourself to ignore strange numbers. If by some chance it is someone you know, they will leave a message, you can check the message and respond accordingly.
If you get a plea from a charity, try to check the information out. You can use the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance to learn more about the organization.
Many scammers will use names that are very close to the real thing, but slightly off. Triple check the name and the reputation of anyone asking you for a donation.
It's unfortunate that you have to worry about scammers, even during the holidays, but if you take some of the step above you should be able to avoid any
holiday scam disasters.