Holiday Shopping Tips

This holiday season the FBI reminds shoppers that cyber criminals aggressively create new ways to steal money and personal information. Scammers use many techniques to fool potential victims, including conducting fraudulent auction sales, reshipping merchandise purchased with stolen credit cards, and selling fraudulent or stolen gift cards through auction sites at discounted prices.

Here are some tips you can use to avoid becoming a victim of cyber fraud:


*  Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) email.
*  Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited email.
*  Be cautious of email claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files
may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Scan the attachments
for viruses if possible.
*  Avoid filling out forms contained in email messages that ask for personal information.
*  Always compare the link in the email with the link to which you are directed and
determine if they match and will lead you to a legitimate site.
*  Log directly onto the official web site for the business identified in the email,
instead of "linking" to it from an unsolicited email. If the email appears to be
from your bank, credit card issuer, or other company you deal with frequently, your
statements or official correspondence from the business will provide the proper
contact information.
*  Contact the actual business that supposedly sent the email to verify if the email
is genuine.
*  If you are asked to act quickly, or there is an emergency, it may be a scam. Fraudsters
create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly.
*  Verify any requests for personal information from any business or financial institution
by contacting them using the main contact information.
*  Remember if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Courtesy of The Internet Crime Complaint Center

Each weekday we will publish a family friendly tip.

Click here to receive our daily tips by email or feed.

Click here to visit our Tip of the Day Archive.