Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine November 2017 | Page 31

Don't Let Scams Melt Your Holiday Spirit By: Becky Sill, CIPA LegalShield | IDShield, Independent Associate [email protected] www.BeckySill.com FAKE SHIPPING NOTICES An e-mail arrives indicating a package was sent by you or is to be delivered to you. This phishing e-mail will try to collect personal information or download a virus. Delete it and do not respond. DIGITAL HOLIDAY GREETINGS Be wary of digital cards that might deliver malware with the holiday greeting. Keep your security software updated to catch incoming problems. Choose well-known e-card sites when sending e-cards. MALICIOUS APPS Seasonal apps and other downloadables like screensavers carry the risk of infecting your device with malware. Choose apps only from trusted sources and remember to use security software. FAKE CHARITIES Criminals try to fraudulently obtain money or personal identifiers by representing themselves as a charity. Check the legitimacy of a charity by visiting the BBB Wise Giving Alliance at www.give.org. FAKE E-COMMERCE WEBSITES Fraudulent websites are common. So, finding a fabulous offer from a website with which you are not familiar could be a red flag. Remember…”If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” “These scams were included on the McAfee “12 Scams of the Holidays” list multiple times over the last few years” MOMENTUM / November 2017 30