12 Days to a Safe Christmas: Day 10 – Beware the Phony Santa Claus Comin’ to Town

Holiday Security Tips: On the tenth day of Christmas, the experts gave to me, 10 trusted charities

Because you tend to be more giving throughout the holidays, scammers target you during this time of year. Whether they are asking for a donation to a charity, promising free iPads, claiming to be a friend in need, or are asking you to click on something outrageous or out of character, don’t fall for it.

Solution: Keep your eyes open for these common holiday scams

• Phishing. Thieves, or hackers as they are more commonly known, will send emails that look like they are legitimately sent from a charitable organization when in real-life these are fake web sites that are designed to steal credit card information, donations and your identity. To donate, call or visit the website of a reputable charitable organization.
• Click Jacking. Click Jacking is a type of social spam. After taking over a friend’s Facebook account, the spammer posts a message on your friend’s Facebook or Twitter page offering free gifts or recommending you donate. Since it looks like a friend has endorsed the post, it’s much easier to fall for the scam. If it’s not believable or out of character, don’t click, as it’s likely to install Malware on your system.
• Charity or Friends-in-Distress Scams. Never send money (via check, cash or electronically) based solely on a wall post, email or phone call. Only donate to known charities and only when you have initiated the gift. Respond to wall posts, emails or phone calls for charity by contacting the charity on a reputable phone number or website.

The song tells you that you’d better not pout and better not cry; you won’t have to do either if you just watch out! On the eleventh day of Christmas…

To review our tips from previous days, click here.

About Cybersecurity Keynote Speaker John Sileo

John Sileo is the founder and CEO of The Sileo Group, a cybersecurity think tank, in Lakewood, Colorado, and an award-winning author, keynote speaker and expert on technology, cybersecurity, and tech/life balance. He energizes conferences, corporate trainings and main-stage events by making security fun and engaging. His clients include the Pentagon, Schwab, and organizations of all sizes. John got started in cybersecurity when he lost everything, including his $2 million business, to cybercrime. Since then, he has shared his experiences on 60 Minutes, Anderson Cooper, and even while cooking meatballs with Rachel Ray. Contact John directly to see how he can customize his presentations to your audience.