The 12 Scams of Christmas - Slide 8
|
|
 |
|
Scammers target vulnerable consumers with recession-related scams such as pay-in-advance credit schemes. McAfee Labs has seen a significant number of spam e-mails advertising prequalified, low-interest loans and credit cards if the recipient pays a processing fee, which goes directly into the scammer’s pocket.
Consumers would be wise to beware of the most common scams of the season before heading online to book travel and do holiday shopping. McAfee (NYSE: MFE) has revealed the “Twelve Scams of Christmas” – the 12 most dangerous online scams that computer users should be cautious of this holiday season.
“Scams continue to be big business for cybercriminals who have their sights set on capitalizing on open hearts and wallets this holiday season,” said Dave Marcus, director of security research for McAfee Labs. “As people jump online to look for deals on gifts and travel, it’s important to recognize common scams to safeguard against theft during the busy season ahead.”
McAfee advises Internet users to follow these five tips to protect their computers and personal information:
- Stick to well-established and trusted sites that include trust marks (icons or seals from third parties verifying that the sites are safe), user reviews and customer support. A reputable trust mark provider will have a live link attached to its trust mark icon, which will take visitors to a verification website of the trust mark provider.
- Do not respond to offers that arrive in a spam e-mail, texts or instant messages.
- Preview a link’s Web address before you click on it to make sure it is going to an established site. Never download or click anything from an unknown source.
- Stay away from vendors that offer prices well below the norm. Don’t believe anything that’s too good to be true.
- Make sure to use trusted Wi-Fi networks. Don’t check bank accounts or shop online if you’re not sure the network is safe.
More Slideshows:
Getting the Most from Project Staff Get project staff on track quickly with these tips from Robert Half Technology.
Top 10 Tips for Getting the Most out of Windows 7 Libraries Learn how you can get the most from Windows 7 Libraries.
Top 10 Strategic Technologies for 2011 Gartner highlights the top 10 technologies and trends that will be strategic for most organizations in 2011.
Related Topics : Anti-Virus Solutions, DoS Attacks
Five Things to Do Now for Greater Security and Compliance
The perimeter of the network is no longer the only concern; it is the endpoints and applications that are putting IT organizations on high alert. ... More >>
How to Battle Summer Complacency in Endpoint Security
Here are some tips and tricks to ensure you're ready to start the fall with an effective strategy for monitoring threats and endpoint vulnerabilities. ... More >>
