Watch out for Cyber Scams this holiday season!

This holiday season keep yourself safe from scams and fraud. Cyber-crime is a multi-billion dollar industry that doesn’t take time off. If you are uncomfortable or feel pressured to send or spend money, STOP! Take time to research or ask for help. Don’t feel pressured into making a transaction.

HOW TO AVOID COMMON HOLIDAY SCAMS

1. Buy only from reputable merchants.

2. Don’t be pressured to purchase an item or pay for a service quickly. Take time to think, research, and talk to someone trusted. Legitimate businesses will give you time to decide.

3. If an online deal looks too good to be true, it likely is. Be suspicious. Scammers often offer products at significantly reduced prices. If a luxury item or an electronic device is offered at an extreme discount, it’s likely counterfeit or will never be delivered.

4. Read online reviews to verify that sellers are genuine. If items are high-value, request to view the items via a video call.

5. If someone calls saying they’re from your bank and tries to pressure you to take an immediate action that makes you uncomfortable, hang up and call back using the number on the back of your debit card or statement.

6. Don’t give out personal or account information to anyone who calls.

7. Don’t rely on caller ID. Criminals can fake their identities and locations on phone calls.

8. Never pay someone who insists you pay via a gift card or using a money transfer service. Also, never deposit a check and then send money back to someone.

9. Use a credit card to pay for online purchases. As required by law, credit card companies provide a fraud liability guarantee which limits liability for unauthorized charges to $50 ($0 if the card was stolen and the card company is notified prior to purchases being made).

10. Never allow permissions to an unknown app and use different passwords for each downloaded app.

11. When using money transfer services, be certain to validate who you’re sending money to and their contact details.

12. Don’t fall for promises of free merchandise, gift cards, or discounts if you provide positive reviews for products sold online