12 Cyber Scams to Beware of During the Holidays

 

1.  Mobile malware: More of us are using our phones for shopping, to research products or to redeem coupons. McAfee says Android phones are "most at risk," citing "a 76 percent increase in malware targeted at Android devices in the second quarter of 2011 over the first, making it the most targeted smartphone platform."

 

McAfee also says new malware "has recently been found that targets QR codes, a digital barcode that consumers might scan with their smartphone to find good deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, or just to learn about products they want to buy."

 

2.  Malicious mobile apps: "These are mobile apps designed to steal information from smartphones, or send out expensive text messages without a user's consent. Dangerous apps are usually offered for free, and masquerade as fun applications, such as games. For example, last year, 4.6 million Android smartphone users downloaded a suspicious wallpaper app that collected and transmitted user data to a site in China."

 

3.  Phony Facebook promotions and contests: "Who doesn't want to win some free prizes or get a great deal around the holidays? Unfortunately, cyber scammers know that these are attractive lures and they have sprinkled Facebook with phony promotions and contests aimed at gathering personal information." One recent scam promised two free airline tickets - something that sounds appealing at this time of year especially - "but required participants to fill out multiple surveys requesting personal information."
 
4.  Scareware, or fake antivirus software: We've seen lots of examples this year. "Scareware is the fake antivirus software that tricks someone into believing that their computer is at risk - or already infected - so they agree to download and pay for phony software." McAfee says it's one of "the most common and dangerous Internet threats today, with an estimated 1 million victims falling for this scam each day."

(MSNBC) To read more: click here