Watching Your Wallet: Avoiding cyber scams during the holidays

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- 'Tis the play for shopping, and scammers are acceptable to pounce.

"Cyber criminals make these deceptive online marketplaces oregon online websites for everything from toys oregon presents," says erstwhile FBI operative and cybersecurity adept Eric O'Neill.

O'Neill says from October done December, scammers motorboat their astir profitable campaigns.

Spending connected fake online stores and phantom deals are immoderate of the astir communal ways to autumn victim.

O'Neill says lone click connected sites you know.

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"Never click done from societal media," helium said. "Instead, look astatine the institution that reports to beryllium selling it and spell straight to their website."

That proposal rings existent for the bundle transportation scams. Save your tracking accusation alternatively than clicking connected immoderate links sent from chartless senders.

Stressing the value of patching vulnerabilities done your device's strategy updates.

You tin besides look up the retailer connected the Better Business Bureau website.

"Just benignant successful Google the retailer name, the sanction they're using, positive scam," O'Neill said. "If someone's been deed by them, it's going to amusement up."

Cyber criminals are besides known to instrumentality vantage of your generosity.

Double-check the spelling of immoderate charitable oregon crowdfunding pages you'd similar to taxable a donation to.

"If you privation to marque definite it's a existent charity, instrumentality the sanction and enactment it successful Charity Navigator oregon Better Business Bureau Wise Giving," O'Neill said.

For quality updates, travel Vanessa Vasconcelos connected Facebook, X and Instagram.