Cyber scrooges leverage all types of digital devices, social media platforms and mobile apps to take advantage of consumers’ distraction during this festive and busy time of year.
With Australia’s $265 billion retail sector aiming for a six per cent growth around the Christmas period, the role of online shopping and the need for security measures to protect consumers has never been stronger.
83 per cent of Australian retailers are predicting higher online sales than last Christmas, and latest industry analysis also shows that online shopping across the country is up 12.8 per cent from the previous year.
“More consumers are using their devices to seek out the best bargains online in a bid to make the Christmas shopping process as painless as possible.
“In doing so they need to be aware of the ways that criminals are looking to exploit them,” said Mike Sentonas, VP and CTO - Security Connected, McAfee, part of Intel Security.
“Understanding what to watch out for and how to properly secure their devices gives consumers the information they need to protect their digital lives and personal information.”
McAfee has identified this year’s top “12 Scams of Christmas”:
1. You’ve Got Mail! — As Christmas retail sales continue to migrate online, the risk for shipping notification and phishing scams are increasing. Though malware is a year-round risk, since many people do their Christmas shopping online, consumers are more apt to click on a shipping notification or phishing e-mail because they think it is legit.
2. Deceptive Advertising — Everyone is searching for steals and deals during the Christmas break. Keep your eyes peeled (and your wallet in check) when online shopping for this season’s most coveted products. Dangerous links, phony contests on social media, and bogus gift cards are just some of the ways scammers try to steal your personal information and ruin your holiday cheer.
3. Chilling Charities — ‘Tis the season for giving. During the holidays, many consumers give back by donating to their favourite charity. Sadly, no good deed goes unpunished. Be wary of fake charities that could reach you via email, or are shared virally through social media.
4. Buyer Beware — There are just some scams that you can’t help but fall victim to, unfortunately. Point of sale malware that leads to exposing credit card information falls into this category. Make sure you check your credit card statements vigilantly and stay on top of breaking news to be aware and prepared.
5. iScams — New mobile apps for Android and iOS devices are added every day. Thanks to the ongoing advancement of technology, your mobile device can control the temperature in your house, keep you connected to social media and add cool filters to your holiday photos. Even the most official-looking or festive apps could be malicious and access your personal information.
6. Getting Carded — Digital e-cards to spread the holiday cheer are fun, easy and most importantly, thoughtful. While you may want a loved one to send you “Season’s Greetings,” hackers are looking to wish you a “Merry Malware!” Well-known e-card sites are safe, but be wary of potential scams that cause you to download malware onto your device.
7. Christmas Travel Scams — With travel on the rise during the peak of the festive season, online scammers are ready to take advantage of the fact that consumers often become less vigilant about their safety. Fake online travel deal links are bountiful, but there are also risks that exist once you arrive at your destination including spyware that can access your information through logging onto infected PCs onsite.
8. Bank Robocall Scam — When holiday spending increases and consumers are aware of the abuse to their bank accounts and credit cards, hackers use this as an opportunity. In most cases, consumers receive a fake phone call from one of these institutions from an automated (or not) “security agent” stating that the user’s account has been compromised and requesting personal information including the account password, to make changes.
9. ATM Skimming — During the holiday season, you need cash and are usually in a rush to get it. Criminals can access your information at ATMs by installing skimming devices to steal the data off your card’s magnetic strip and either using a video camera or keypad overlay to capture your PIN. A simple solution is to look carefully at your ATM for anything suspicious and cover the keypad when entering your PIN.
10. ‘Year in Review’ Traps — Many news services capitalise on the holidays by developing ‘Year in Review’ articles. Companies should warn their employees about the risks of clicking on these types of links from their work emails, and consumers should be wary too. Links from phony sources could infect and compromise the security of company devices.
11. BYO Device — With an increase in travel, activity (and bubbly!) over the busy Christmas period, people are more likely to forget their smart phones in public places. While inconvenient for them, it is also way for hackers to access sensitive personal information and business data if the appropriate security measures are not in place.
12. Bad USB Blues — During the holiday season, you may see an increase in gift baskets from vendors who want to continue doing business with your company in the upcoming year. One of the most popular items in these baskets includes branded USBs. Beware of allowing your employees to use these, as undetectable malware is sometimes pre-installed on them.
• To stay protected and ensure a happy and safe festive season, McAfee has shared these safety tips:
• Do your Research - Whether online shopping, donating to charities, or tracking your gifts, do your research to make sure the company you are working with is legitimate.
• Do an online search of the company you’re buying items from to see if there’s any news about recent risks.
• Go to the company’s homepage to make sure it is a genuine business.
• Instead of clicking on a link in an email for a shopping deal, visit the site directly.
Analyse Apps
• Before downloading a new app, review it to make sure you know exactly what you’re putting on your smartphone.
• Only download apps from an official app store and not a third party
• If the app requests too much permission, do not download it. It may be requesting access to information on your phone that you would prefer to keep private, and certainly more information than it needs
Bank carefully
• People are spending more money during the holidays than they do all year. Cyber criminals may try and use this fact to more easily scam consumers.
• If your bank calls requesting information, hang up and call them back through the official main phone number. It’s important to talk to your banker through the official number so you know it is legitimate
• When withdrawing money, be aware of your surroundings. Check to make sure that you are in a safe place to enter your information. If anything looks amiss, leave
• Inspect the ATM for loose wires or machine parts that may have been tampered with. This could indicate hackers trying to fix the machine for their benefit
Stay Informed
• Holiday season or not, cyber scams and identity theft happen very frequently throughout the year. Now that the shopping season has begun and the danger is heightened, it is important to constantly be aware of new cyber-attacks or threats in the marketplace.
• Follow breaking news stories for new security breaches to stay alert and be on top of your game.
• Only shop for holiday gifts at retailers you know have not been compromised.
• Check your credit card statements often to make sure that you were not affected.
Educate Your Employees
• You’ll want to make sure that your employees know how to protect themselves, and their devices with your sensitive company information – at all times, but especially during this hectic holiday travel and shopping season when devices are more likely to get misplaced and people let their guard down.
• Ensure devices are secured with complex passcodes to allow access to smartphones, tablets or laptops.
• Share the most common scams that exist around the holidays with your employees so they know what to be on the lookout for and how to stay protected
If you do plan to search for deals online, use apps or open shopping related emails, make sure your entire household’s devices have protection.
