McAfee warns of the ‘12 scams of Christmas’

• Cyber-criminals looking to capitalise on year-end shopping season
• Potential for identity theft increases as users share personal information across multiple devices

SECURITY solutions provider McAfee has released its annual 12 Scams of Christmas list of the most common scams that criminals would be using during the upcoming year-end festive season and sales campaigns to take advantage of consumers as they shop on their digital devices.
 
Cybercriminals leverage these scams to steal personal information, earn fast cash, and spread malware, the company said in a statement.
 
Consumers should ensure that they are taking all precautions to protect the data saved on their devices.
 
“The potential for identity theft increases as consumers share personal information across multiple devices that are often under-protected,” said Michelle Dennedy, vice president and chief privacy officer at McAfee.
 
“Understanding criminals’ mindsets and being aware of how they try to take advantage of consumers can help ensure that we use our devices the way they were intended – to enhance our lives not jeopardise them,” she said.
 
To help consumers stay alert for greedy Grinches as they surf the web for holiday travel deals and seek out gifts for their loved ones, McAfee has identified this year’s top 12 scams:

“While devices and computers provide convenience, it also opens up plenty of opportunities for cybercriminals to take advantage of consumers’ purchasing activities,” said Stephen Perchard, vice president, Consumer and Mobile, Asia Pacific at McAfee.
 
“To protect personal data, consumers should secure their devices before buying and installing applications. Users should also be weary of links offering deals that appear too good to be true and instead, order their purchases from retailers directly,” he said.
 
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