Online Christmas Shopping? Beware of Scams
Are you doing last-minute shopping for your loved ones back home.
Note this: authorities have cautioned shoppers to be on the lookout for Internet scams during the holiday season, citing a report stating that over two million UAE residents fell victim to cybercrime last year of which 20 percent said their personal data was stolen after using an online retailer.
Additionally, more than half of all UAE consumers reported that their account passwords had been compromised, Khaleej Times, citing a recent Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report, stated in its latest edition.
According to Norton, there are several common scams which people fall victim to during the holiday season. Among the most popular is the so-called “click and receive scam” in which a user receives an e-mail informing them they’ve received an unexpected package from the post office or a well-known vendor. They are then asked to fill out a form that includes personal information.
In another widespread scam, consumers are lured to fake websites which are often almost identical to that of legitimate online retailers. The victims are then infected with malware, which can then be used to gain access to private computer systems or information.
In its research, Norton found that many online shoppers also fall victim to “offer alert” scams, in which online vouchers or codes re-direct them to malicious websites asking for credit card information. In most cases, these websites use false offers and promises of free gifts to lure unsuspecting victims.
Tamim Taufiq, Norton’s Territory Manager for the Middle East, told Khaleej Times there are simple steps users can take to avoid falling victim to such online scams.
“When it comes to protecting yourself against cybercrime, knowledge is power,” he said. “There are a number of ways consumers can protect themselves including using unique and strong passwords across different accounts, not clicking on links from purported companies or financial institutions and instead logging onto to the company website directly, and being wary of too-good-to-be-true offers.”
“By doing so, you put yourself one step ahead of criminals looking to exploit you,” he added.
Additionally, Norton recommends setting up a dedicated e-mail account for online shopping, which is not to be used for business and personal correspondence or online banking, ensuring that up-to-date security software is installed, and carefully checking credit card statements for unexpected transactions.
The UAE – both individuals and companies – has been under increasing attack from cyber criminals in recent months, according to the Khaleej Times report.
In May, a report from cyber security giant Kaspersky found that the UAE was among the five top targets for cyber criminals during the first quarter of 2015, alongside Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Oman.
The report found that approximately 30 per cent of users reported coming into contact with online viruses and 41 per cent experienced “local threats” spread through USB sticks, shared files on local networks, CDs or DVDs.