The season of after-holiday sales is upon us, and with great deals and savings comes risk of email fraud and identity theft. Many shoppers will turn to online avenues to benefit from these sales due to COVID-19 impacting the in-person shopping experience. With that in mind, it may be tempting to spend work time browsing for gift ideas. To protect yourself, your business, and your funds, it’s crucial to be smart and safe with your shopping decisions.
Let’s look at some basic but helpful security reminders to keep in mind not only during the holidays, but for all seasons.
- Do not shop using your work computer. This may provide hackers with the right opportunity to access confidential work information. Only use your professional device for work-related tasks.
- Use personal email addresses instead of your work email for receiving receipts, order confirmations, and shipping information. The more you share your professional email address, the more risk it will be exposed to fraud attempts.
- Avoid checking your personal email from your work computer, even on breaks.
- Beware of emails that you are not expecting such as “we have received your order,” “your order has been delayed,” “your order has shipped,” etc. Never click on links in unfamiliar emails. Go to your account outside of your email to verify order status. If the order isn’t on your radar, don’t assume that your spouse or kid ordered something. Double check before making any actions.
- Be cautious of links to would be coupons. Many times, these links are designed to look legit with the intent to make you click on them, which once clicked, allows hackers to install spyware on your system.
- Fraudsters love using sob stories to scam victims by pulling on their heartstrings. If an email you don’t know is encouraging you to donate or send money, do not respond, or comply. Delete the email and report it to your IT/ security team.
This time of year creates more opportunities for scammers to obtain personal and professional information. Don’t be their next victim. Use sound judgement and be skeptical with your inbox. By making smart decisions, you have the power to prevent hackers from doing their job. If you have any questions or concerns about your company’s security, BerganKDV can help. Start here.
