This holiday season is going to be a little different than years before. A lot of holiday shopping is going to occur online and there will be far more credit card purchases. While making these purchases with a card can reap reward points and benefits, it also makes it easier for fraudsters and scammers to steal your information.
Here are some ways to protect yourself from holiday scams.
Skimming
ATM machines, gas station pumps, and even Point of Sale (POS) systems in retail stores are prime targets for fraudsters.
Through planting almost undetectable machines, criminals are able to collect financial details when a card is inserted into them.
Be on the lookout for false fronts of these devices that tend to be mounted to the top of the system itself. It’s a good idea to always verify your card scanners buy jiggling before you swipe and ensuring the quality seal tag hasn’t been tampered with.
Mobile Payments
As the use of mobile payment platforms increases, mobile fraud is also on the rise. This helps fraudsters gain easy access to a range of mobile fraud techniques.
To protect yourself, don’t get lulled by convenience, especially when shopping or browsing on your mobile device. Be careful not to quickly click pop-ups that could enable access to your device. If a link redirects you to a new website, double-check the URL before you continue shopping.
Do not auto-save passwords for websites that are connected to your bank accounts or credit cards and use two-factor authentication whenever it is provided.
Porch Pirates
With the rise of online ordering, due to the coronavirus, more packages are coming to your door, which means more porch pirates. In 2019, an estimated 36% of Americans had a package stolen from outside their home at least once.
Normally, to keep porch pirates at bay, you would require a signature upon delivery. However, this option isn’t COVID-19 friendly. Instead, what you can do is route the package to a place where someone can accept it, rather than letting it sit on your welcome mat.
Read more on our security center to keep your information safe this holiday season. If you are a victim of fraud, please contact us immediately at (303) 458-6660.