The holidays are a busy time of year for online retailers–on both the sales and security fronts.
Take Amazon, for example. The e-commerce behemoth recently fell victim to a scam that sent emails with the subject line “Amazon Black Friday Gift Card.” Unknowing email recipients were then encouraged to “Activate My Amazon.com Rewards” and input personal information. Except, there were no rewards to receive. Just personal information to be swapped among cyber scammers.
“The bad guys don’t play by the rules and they aren’t afraid to exploit you to get what they want,” says Adam Dzuricky, lead information security analyst at Erie Insurance. “It’s called social engineering–technobabble for ‘conning’–or using techniques to trick their prey into falling into their traps. Unfortunately, the holidays are no exception to this, since it’s prime time for all of us to be bustling about spreading goodwill.”
So how do you dodge the cyber scams and still enjoy the perks of gift shopping in your pajamas? Check out this list of 12 tips to help you navigate around cyber scams this holiday season. (And here are even more safe online shopping tips that could save you from getting pinched by the digi-Grinch.)
Added personal protection from cyber scams
Sometimes even the most careful cyber shoppers fall prey to identity theft–and that ends up costing victims a lot of time and money. That’s why it’s worth adding Identity Recovery Coverage to your homeowners insurance policy. Available for a low annual fee, Identity Recovery Coverage reimburses you for expenses related to the theft and more. To learn more and get a quote, contact your local Erie Insurance Agent.
Read the full story from Erie Insurance: “Cyber Scams in Full Swing This Season“