Holiday shoppers warned vs '12 Online Scams of Christmas'

With more consumers expected to spend more time online to hunt for gifts or plan gatherings as Christmas nears, a computer security firm issued on Thursday (Manila time) a list of what it dubbed as the "12 scams of Christmas." McAfee said the list includes the 12 most dangerous online scams from cybercriminals during the holiday season. It warned that computer, smartphone and tablet users who fall for these scams "risk giving the bad guys the biggest gift of all – your own personal and financial information!" "Cybercriminals rub their hands with glee when they think of the holidays. If you’re like me then you are probably busy making travel plans, shopping for gifts and bargains, updating Facebook and connecting with friends. However, the vast majority of people don’t have security protection for their smartphones or tablets, despite using them heavily during the holiday season," McAfee said in a blog post. “We don’t want consumers to be haunted by the scams of holidays past, present and future. With the increase in malware and other attacks on smartphones, tablets and Macs, users need to stay vigilant and ensure they protect all of their devices, not just their home PC – they can’t afford to leave the door open to cyber-grinches during the busy holiday season," said Jim Walter, manager at McAfee Labs. The 12 scams — ranging from dubious mobile apps to phony games to holiday screensavers — include: 1. Mobile malware: A survey of the National Retail Federation (NRF) in October said 52.6 percent of American consumers said they will be using their smartphones for holiday-shopping related activities. Malware targeted at mobile devices is said to be on the rise and Android smartphones are the ones most at risk. 2. Malicious mobile applications: Apps can be designed to steal information from smartphones, or send out expensive text messages without a user’s consent. Dangerous apps may be offered for free and masquerade as fun applications. 3. Phony Facebook promotions: Cyberscammers are expected to use attractive lures and phony promotions to gather personal information. 4. Scareware or fake antivirus: This is currently one of the most common and dangerous Internet threats and an estimated one million victims fall for this scam each day. 5. Holiday Screensavers, along with holiday-themed ringtones and e-cards, may hide a malicious payload. 6. Mac malware: As Apple products are becoming more popular, cybercriminals have designed a new wave of malware directed at Mac users. 7. Holiday phishing scams: A common holiday phishing scam is a phony notice, saying a person has a package and needs to fill out an attached form. The form may ask for personal or financial details that will go straight into the hands of the cyberscammer. 8. Online coupon scams: About 63 percent of shoppers search for online coupons or deals when they purchase something on the Internet. Many scammers ask shoppers to provide personal information, including credit-card details, passwords and other financial data. 9. Mystery shopper scams: Scammers use this "fun job" to lure people into revealing personal and financial information. 10. Hotel “Wrong Transaction" malware emails: These are aimed at people who travel over the holidays. 11. “It" gift scams: Scammers advertise popular gifts on rogue websites and social networks. Consumers could wind up paying for an item and giving away credit card details only to receive nothing in return. 12. “I’m away from home" scammers: Those who post information about a vacation on social networking site unknowingly give a green light of sorts to burglars. Protection McAfee provided the following tips against cybercrime: