Cyber Moment

 By Mike Pfeiffer, CyberFyfe LLC

The festive season is upon us!  It’s a time for joy, generosity, decking the halls, and unfortunately, dodging the Scrooges of the cyber world.  Yes, while you’re busy spreading holiday cheer, cyber grinches are scheming up new ways to spoil your celebrations with seasonal scams.  From bogus charity drives to phony holiday bargains, let’s unwrap some tips to keep you and your wallet merry and bright.

Charity Scams:

When Giving Gets Grinchy

‘Tis the season of giving, and sadly, taking—if you’re a scammer disguised as a charity.  Before you donate your hard-earned cash, do a background check as thorough as Santa’s list.  Use sites like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance to verify that the charity is legit, and your money is actually going to the needy, not the greedy.

Fake Festive Deals: 

All That Glitters is Not Gold

Beware of deals that scream, “Buy one, get two free!” without a peek of fine print.  Scammers love to brighten your inbox with offers on the latest gadgets, luxury watches, or just about anything that would usually break the bank.  Always double-check the website’s URL and look for misspellings or domain names that are trying too hard to mimic legitimate brands—like ‘Amaz0n.deals’ instead of ‘Amazon.com’.

Phishing Under the Mistletoe

Phishing emails and texts come adorned with more bells and whistles during the holidays.  They might promise a free gift card or claim there’s an issue with package delivery.  Remember, legitimate companies will never ask for sensitive information via email.  If you receive such a message, don’t click on any links!  Instead, go directly to the company’s website or contact their customer service.

The Gift of Awareness: 

Don’t Gift-wrap Your Info

In a season as busy as this, it’s easy to let your guard down.  Keep your personal and financial information under wraps.  Only shop from secure (https) sites, use credit instead of debit cards for better fraud protection, and never save your card information in browsers or on sites.

Wrapping Up: 

Stay Scam-Free This Season

Just like you wouldn’t leave your holiday gifts unprotected under the tree, don’t let your guard down online.  Stay vigilant, question too-good-to-be-true offers, and help keep the season bright for everyone—except the scammers.

Happy holidays and may all your cyber dealings be merry and scam-free!