Be aware of potential fraud risks, especially if you’re a last-minute shopper. “Procrastination is, quite frankly, one of the keys to success for crooks,” said Paul Fabara, chief risk officer at Visa.

Cyber-criminals study human behavior and create a trap that they know is easy to fall for. That’s why they may craft a last-minute offer at a discounted price then use your card information to make all the transactions that they please.

4 categories of fraud to be aware of according to Visa

1. Digital skimming: Credit card information stolen from online stores.
   
   
2. Phishing and social engineering: AI making it difficult to spot fakes.
   
   
3. ATM or point-of-sale skimming schemes: Stealing personal identification numbers or data.
   
   
4. One-time-pass-code bypass schemes: Sending false prompts to access consumer accounts.

Already a Victim of a Scam? – Here’s What You Can Do

Contact your financial institution promptly. A reputable organization can monitor your account for suspicious activities and guide you through the necessary steps. If you believe that your computer was hacked or infected with a virus, don’t hesitate to give us a call!

A New Threat Emerges … AI Fraud Risks

Do you use voice passwords? Artificial intelligence is being used to impersonate your voice to access your accounts. We want to remind you to always use (2FA) or Two-factor-authentication to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts.

Stop, Analyze, and Think …

• If this offer is too good to be true, can it mean that it is a scam? For example, if an offer on social media appears for an item that’s sold out everywhere, is it really legitimate?
  
  
• Check the website that you are surfing to make sure it’s legitimate. Web addresses that start with “https://” have a secure connection.
  
  
• Be careful when connection to public WiFi. Stay tuned to next week’s newsletter because we will consider what you can do when connecting to public WiFi!
  
  

Let this friendly reminder be your guide to a safe and secure shopping experience. Not just during the holiday’s but at all times.

Happy Computing!!