You've got mail? Beware!

INDIA:  The shopping atmosphere and the deluge of deals that our inboxes are flooded with has affected almost everyone these days.

McAfee seems to have taken a closer view of the situation and come up with some tricks and some wet-floors signs for spots where shoppers can easily slip.

“As consumers shop, bank and share more while on the go, they open themselves up to threats from criminals who want to steal their personal information,” said Gary Davis, Chief Consumer Security Evangelist at McAfee. “Understanding what to watch out for and how to properly secure their devices gives consumers additional information to protect their digital lives.”

McAfee has identified some areas to watch out carefully for. As holiday sales continue to migrate online, the risk for shipping notification and phishing scams are increasing. Though malware is a year-round risk, since many people do their holiday shopping online, consumers are more apt to click on a shipping notification or phishing e-mail because they think it is legit. It also warns about 'Deceptive Advertising' as everyone is searching for steals and deals during the holidays.

Keep your eyes peeled (and your wallet in check) when online shopping for this season’s most coveted products. Dangerous links, phony contests on social media, and bogus gift cards are just some of the ways scammers try to steal your personal information and ruin your holiday cheer, it points out.

As to charities, the organisation has observed that while during the holidays, many consumers give back by donating to their favorite charity, sadly, no good deed goes unpunished. Be wary of fake charities that could reach you via email, or are shared virally through social media, it cautions.

" There are just some scams that you can’t help but fall victim to, unfortunately. Point of sale malware that leads to exposing credit card information falls into this category. Make sure you check your credit card statements vigilantly and stay on top of breaking news to be aware and prepared. New mobile apps for Android and iOS devices are added every day. Thanks to the ongoing advancement of technology, your mobile device can control the temperature in your house, keep you connected to social media and add cool filters to your holiday photos. Even the most official-looking or festive apps could be malicious and access your personal information. Also, well-known e-card sites are safe, but be wary of potential scams that cause you to download malware onto your device." McAfee warns.

It also talked about the Bank Robocall Scam. When holiday spending increases and consumers are aware of the abuse to their bank accounts and credit cards, hackers use this as an opportunity. In most cases, consumers receive a fake phone call from one of these institutions from an automated (or not) “security agent” stating that the user’s account has been compromised and requesting personal information including the account password, to make changes. On the other front of ATMs, it adds and reminds that criminals can access your information at ATMs by installing skimming devices to steal the data off your card’s magnetic strip and either using a video camera or keypad overlay to capture your PIN. A simple solution: look carefully at your ATM for anything suspicious and cover the keypad when entering your PIN.

The set of tips is clear. Whether online shopping, donating to charities, or tracking your gifts, do your research to make sure the company you are working with is legitimate. Do an online search of the company you’re buying items from to see if there’s any news about recent risks. Go to the company’s homepage to make sure it is a genuine business. Instead of clicking on a link in an email for a shopping deal, visit the site directly. And, before downloading a new app, review it to make sure you know exactly what you’re putting on your smartphone.  If the app requests too many permissions, do not download it. It may be requesting access to information on your phone that you would prefer to keep private, and certainly more information than it needs, McAfee underlines.

As to financial transactions, it recommends that when withdrawing money, be aware of your surroundings. Check to make sure that you are in a safe place to enter your information. If anything looks amiss, leave. Inspect the ATM for loose wires or machine parts that may have been tampered with. This could indicate hackers trying to fix the machine for their benefit

McAfee, part of Intel Security, has announced its annual '12 Scams of the Holidays' list to educate the public on the most popular ways cybercriminals scam consumers during the holiday season as they surf their digital devices.

Holiday season or not, cyber scams and identity theft happen very frequently throughout the year. Check your credit card statements often to make sure that you were not affected. Now that shopping season has begun and the danger is heightened, it is important to constantly be aware of new cyber-attacks or threats in the marketplace, the security firm concludes.