Cybersecurity

BEWARE OF INCREASED ONLINE SCAMS DURING BUSY HOLIDAY SEASON

Individuals who shop online during the busy holiday season may save time and money, but they also are at risk of falling victim to a higher number of cyber scams.

David Shaw, Purdue’s chief information security officer, says security and law enforcement officers usually see a rise in malicious online activity this time of year as consumers are inundated with Web specials and email offers.

"With so many things going on during the holidays, more people are shopping online for gifts, but scammers know this, too," Shaw says. "Phishing, too-good-to-be-true product giveaways and fake e-commerce sites are some typical issues to watch out for. Many of these scams also have shown up on social media sites such as Facebook."


Although it’s always a good idea to monitor credit reports on an annual basis and review account statements each month, the FBI advises consumers to keep a particularly watchful eye on their personal credit information this time of year. Bank transactions and correspondence from financial institutions should be reviewed as well, as bank accounts often serve as a target for criminals to commit identify theft by creating new accounts in victims’ names.


Additional cybersecurity tips from the FBI that can help individuals protect their personal information are available on the
ITaP website.