As we all prepare for what will undoubtedly be an unconventional holiday season, many of us are turning to our computers to check off items on our shopping list instead of bundling up to head to the mall. Online shoppers around the nation have already made the strongest showing in history with $10.8 billion in sales on Cyber Monday alone, which amounts to a 15.1% increase from last year, while foot traffic in brick and mortar stores was down 42.3% for Black Friday weekend. With the recent spikes in COVID-19 cases around the country, staying home and having those packages delivered right to your door step might seem like the safest way to go, but cyber criminals are pouncing at the online shopping frenzy to steal consumers’ personal and financial information.
This increased threat has been a common thread throughout 2020, as we saw cyber criminals amp up their tactics during the early days of the coronavirus crisis and when Americans received their CARES Act stimulus checks. Indeed, the bad guys are not taking a break because of COVID-19. The FBI reports that cybercrimes are up an astonishing 400% this year. Now it is more important than ever to understand how these criminals operate and how you can avoid falling victim to these crimes so that you can keep your celebrations holly and jolly.
Continue Reading ‘Tis the Season…for Scams and Cybersecurity Threats