Don’t Fall for Scams This Holiday Season

At DEC, we want our members to be aware and protect themselves against potential cyber scams all year long, especially during the holiday season. Each year, millions of Americans find themselves the victims of scammers when doing their holiday shopping, but you can take steps to avoid unintentionally losing money or giving up personal information. 

When shopping online, pay close attention to the website you’re using. To ensure it belongs to a real store or seller, the web address should start with an “https.” Shoppers can also gain a lot of information about an online store from reading customer ratings and reviews. Be on the look out for unusual or unexpected emails or text messages. These could be phishing messages, used by scammers to access your information. If you receive an email from an unfamiliar sender, never click on any links or attachments included in the message. Ensure your online accounts are secure by updating or creating strong passwords, and set up multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of protection. Another safeguard against scammers is to ensure that your device’s security software is updated. 

This year, don’t let scammers ruin your holiday festivities — secure your online shopping experience.