Even when the holidays get underway, con artists won’t stop. While individuals vacation, give to charities, and enjoy their time with friends & family. Scammers perceive this time of year as an excellent opportunity to make money.
These people tend to focus on taking rather than giving to others.It supports a variety of scams that utilize the holidays as a cover. They want to catch individuals off guard with frauds that dress in Christmas trappings as they quickly go about their days, perhaps with a touch of holiday stress. Every year, the same cons appear, but if you have an alert eye, you can spot them.
What Are Some Of The Holiday Season’s Biggest Scams
1. Shopping Scams And Fraud
After Cyber Monday and Black Friday, we can look forward to a slew of post-holiday sales occasions that will also attract millions of online buyers. And just as on other major shopping days, dishonest people will launch a number of swindles aimed at unwary customers. Shopping scams come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Deals that seem too good to be true probably are, and you should do some research before purchasing from unknown merchants to find out if they have a strong track record. A website that has only recently been registered could be far less trustworthy than one that has been established for some time.
Also Read: How To Identify Fake Shopping Websites
2. Tech Support Phishing
During the holiday season, a lot of cutting-edge technology enters our homes. Additionally, some of that technology can be a little tricky to set up. Use caution when looking for assistance online. False tech help websites are frequently set up by con artists in an effort to steal money and credit card details.
For assistance, contact the product’s maker directly. A website that advertises support for a cost could be a scam since manufacturers frequently provide free support as part of the product warranty.
Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Five Types Of Scams People Must Watch Out For This
3. Travel Fraud
Travel, along with all the online ticketing and booking that goes along with it, is a holiday-related activity. Scammers will work to profit from this as well. False emails claiming to be from respectable travel sites that inform you that your reservation is incorrect are examples of travel scams. When you click a link, you are taken to another fake website that requests your credit card information to update the booking.Then gives it to the con artist so they may make charges in your name.
Other travel frauds feature advertisements for inexpensive lodging, tours, flights, and the like. All of which are presented on a fake website that is simply there to steal credit card numbers and other personal information.
Also Read: New Year Shopping Tips: How To Make Your Online Transactions Secure
4. Fake Charity Fraud
Giving to a charity or cause that is dear to someone’s heart is a thoughtful Christmas gift, and it also gives you a chance to give back over the season. And as you could have predicted, con artists would exploit this as well. They’ll create fake nonprofits and use pressure-giving techniques to persuade you to donate.
Take caution whenever an email, text, direct message, or website asks you to take immediate action, as with the vast majority of frauds out there. Study the organization. Find out how long they’ve been in business, how they use the money they receive, and who actually gains from them.
Also Read: Easy Tips For Safe Online Shopping This Christmas
Bonus Tip – Use Real-Time Antivirus Software Like T9
One of the newest antivirus programs that provide real-time protection for your PC is T9 Antivirus. Today’s most popular antivirus programs do not offer this odd capability. Utilizing improved defensive shields, T9 Antivirus continuously scans your computer for malware and detects it as soon as it enters. Some of its traits are as follows:
Protection Against Malware And Exploits
This layer of protection protects the system from malware, viruses, zero-day threats, PUPs, Trojans, and adware.
Real-Time Protection
Before it infects your device and makes you a victim of identity theft, data breaches, or other similar security violations, identifies and stops malware.
Remove Unnecessary Startup Programs
Users can help reduce PC startup time by deleting items from the starting list with the help of T9 antivirus.
Activate An Ad Blocker
Your web browsers – Chrome, Opera, and Mozilla will receive a free installation of STOPALLADS ad-blocking software thanks to an ad blocker feature in T9 antivirus.
Also Read: How To Avoid Online Shopping Security Mistakes
The Final Word
Malicious actors relish the holidays so much because of this. It’s a golden opportunity for their scams because of all our charitable donations, travel, and volunteering. However, if you have some understanding of their drawbacks and some understanding of how they operate, you can avoid them. Keep in mind that they are taking advantage of the season and that they anticipate you letting your guard down more than you may at other times of the year.
Keep an eye out for the warning signs, conduct some research when necessary, and only use reputable online merchants, charities, and services.
Please let us know in the comments below if you have any questions or recommendations. We would be delighted to provide you with a resolution. We frequently publish advice, tricks, and solutions to common tech-related problems. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Flipboard, Instagram.