Holiday Shopping Tips

The holiday season is approaching, bringing both special sales from retailers and potential scams from cyber criminals. During this time, you may encounter spoofed apps and malicious email attachments designed to trick you.

Beware of Spoofed Apps

Many retailers now offer mobile apps that provide exclusive discounts and allow you to make purchases directly from your device. Unfortunately, cybercriminals can create fake (spoofed) apps that mimic legitimate retailers. While these spoofed apps may allow you to place an order, instead of receiving your items, you could be giving your payment information directly to scammers.

Watch Out for Malicious Attachments

Retailers often send coupons and shipping information via email attachments. Cybercriminals can impersonate these legitimate emails to send malicious attachments. These scams often urge you to act quickly to receive a discount or free items. However, downloading these attachments may lead to malware instead of the promised deals.

How to Stay Safe

To protect yourself from shopping scams this holiday season, follow these tips:

  • Only download apps from verified app stores or the retailer’s official website.
  • Be skeptical of unexpected offers to save money. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Think before you click! Cyberattacks are designed to entice you into clicking on links, so proceed with caution.