Prevent A Breach

The 12 SCAMS OF CHRISTMAS

By Jimmy Parrish of TBG Fraud Solutions

December is the most prevalent time of year for one's identity to be stolen. Identity Theft continues to be the fastest-growing crime in America. Big "I" agencies can do their clients a favor by keeping them informed of developments in this area that could affect their possessions and personal information... especially during these tough economic times.Last month McAfee, Inc., released "The 12 Scams of Christmas." These are defined as the most dangerous online scams this holiday season. "Scams continue to be big business for cybercriminals who have their sights set on capitalizing on open hearts and open wallets this holiday season," said Dave Marcus, director of security for the California-based security software company. "As people jump online to look for deals on gifts and travel, it is important to recognize common scams to safeguard against theft during the busy season ahead."
1. iPads: With Apple products topping lots of shopping lists this holiday season, scammers are busy distributing bogus offers for free iPads. McAfee found that in the Spam version of the scam, consumers are asked to purchase other products and to provide their credit card number to get the free iPad. 2. HELP ME! This travel scam sends phony distress messages to family and friends requesting that money be wired or transferred so they can get home. 3. Fake Gift Cards: Cybercrooks use social media to promote fake gift card offers with the goal of stealing customers' information and money, which is then sold to marketers or used for identity theft. One recent Facebook scam offered a "free $1000 Best Buy gift card" to the first 20,000 people who signed up for a Best Buy fan page, which was a look-a-like. To apply for the gift card they had to provide personal information and take a series of quizzes.
4. Job Offers: As people seek extra cash for gifts this holiday season, Twitter scams offer dangerous links to high-paying, work-at-home jobs that ask for your personal information, such as your email address, home address and Social Security number to apply for the fake job.
5. Smishing: Cybercrooks are now "smishing," or sending phishing SMS texts. These texts appear to be coming from your bank or online retailer saying there is something wrong with an account and you have to call a phone number to verify your account information. In reality, these efforts are merely a ruse to extract valuable personal information from the targets.

6. Holiday Rentals: Cybercrooks post fake holiday rental sites that ask for down payments or properties by credit card or wire transfer.7. Recession Scams: Scammers target vulnerable consumers with recession-related scams such as pay-in-advance credit schemes. McAfee said it has seen a significant number of scam emails advertising pre-qualified, low-interest loans and credit cards if the recipient pays a processing fee. 8. Greetings: E-cards are a convenient and earth-friendly way to send greetings to friends and family, but cybercriminals load fake versions with links to viruses and malware. 9. Price Taps: Shoppers should be cautious of products offered at prices far below those of competitors. Cyberscammers use auction sites and fake websites to offer too-good-to-be true deals with the goal of stealing your money and information.10. Charity Scams: Common ploys include phone calls and spam emails asking you to donate to veterans' charities, children's causes and relief funds for the latest catastrophe.
11. Downloads: Holiday-theme screen savers, jingles and animations are an easy way for scammers to spread viruses and other computer threats, especially when links come from an email or IM that appears to be from a friend.12. Wi-Fi: During the holidays many people travel and use free Wi-Fi in places like hotels and airports. That is a tempting time for thieves to hack into networks hoping to find opportunities for theft. In summary, PLEASE BEWARE this holiday season and alert your clients to be safe and consider identity theft insurance to protect themselves and their possessions. It is a small investment to protect a lifetime of savings. Plus, it gives them peace of mind that someone is monitoring their sensitive information.