Tips for keeping your credit union members safe this holiday season

The holiday season is here again and most people are full of goodwill and the giving spirit. Unfortunately, charity scams are all too common this time of year and cyber-criminals frequently try to prey on holiday spending. Let’s take a look at some of the common scams and ways you and your credit union members can protect themselves against the holiday “Grinches” looking to take advantage of this time of gift sharing.

Holiday Shopping Scams

It’s no secret that shopping ramps up during the holidays, and so do scams. Communicate to your members that they should be careful about how and where they share information, and beware of fraudulent retailers and organizations.

• Protect personal info. Thanks to online shopping, anyone can search for deals and hit the “buy” button from virtually anywhere. It is a good security practice to wait until you’re connected to a known Wi-Fi network, not a public access site in a coffee shop. You never know who may be eavesdropping on the traffic and looking to steal your personal information. If you can, wait until you’re on a secure network (such as your home network) to make a purchase.

 

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