We use to be concerned about leaving our packages in plain sight in the back seat of our cars this time of year, however, now the chances of being “robbed” are much higher. Online shopping, game playing and apps can leave everyone more vulnerable to cyber theft than anyone was every vulnerable to a car break in twenty years ago.
Cybercriminals Are Everywhere
Most of the time we center on blogs about the topics our clients need to know about. However, we know that this time of year you, as an individual, are more likely to be vulnerable to a cybercriminal than any other time of year, mostly because of online shopping. Here are a few ways that they may try to steal your money or even identity.
- Click bait links – Any link you click on could be one that opens you up to a cybercriminal. Before you click on anything, make sure that it is truly the site you want to go to. Or, better yet, type in the URL yourself.
- Sales that are too good to be true – The old adage is still true today. If you see something online and the price seems too good to be true, don’t go to the site.
- Requests for donations – We are often more in the “giving spirit” this time of year. However, not all charities are truly charities. Before you give, do your due diligence and check out the organization. A small donation could lead to the stealing of your credit card information or even the emptying of your bank account if you don’t truly know who you’re giving to.
How to Protect Yourself
Put your phone down. When you click on a link from a social site, you don’t often see where you’re going. You may think you’re going to a legitimate website or even one you’ve been to before for online shopping. Then you enter your credit card information to buy something. What if it wasn’t really the site you thought you were going to? You just gave your credit card information to the hackers. If you see something you want from a company, go to a computer and enter the company’s URL and then make sure that you are truly on that company’s site and that it’s protected with https before you enter your information.
Happy Holidays from Toucan Technology Group
We wish you and yours a happy and safe holiday season. If you’re in need of technology support for your small business, call us for your free consultation at (317) 376-4874 or fill out our contact form.
