ARKANSAS, USA — Cyber security experts said scams are on the rise as people take advantage of holiday deals. Tom Kirkham, CEO and founder of Kirkham IronTech in Fort Smith, said he sees scammers creating fake websites that look like amazing holiday deals in an attempt to trick people into “donating” to charities that don’t exist.
When it comes to online shopping, Kirkham said it’s important to remember if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. This time of year, Kirkham also said they see an increase in phishing emails.
To protect your information, experts advise care when clicking links, and to always avoid reusing passwords.
“90% of the people [reading] this reuse passwords: [They use] the same password on their Facebook account as their banking account, and that's bad practice,” Kirkham said. “If one of those gets compromised, all of them are compromised.”
Whether you’re shopping or donating to charities online, Kirkham says it’s best to visit websites directly instead of clicking links.
Another scam he says to watch out for is what he calls “grandparent scams" when a scammer poses as a loved one to manipulate you into sending money.
“These are text messages, emails, maybe an instant message on Facebook from a family member that needs money, for whatever reason ... What you need to ask is, 'Is this unexpected? Is this characteristic of this individual?” Kirkham said. “A special telltale sign is if they say, ‘please don't tell anyone’ ... That's a red flag.”
Kirkham says while these scams are often targeted toward seniors, anyone can fall victim, which is why it is important to stay vigilant.
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