Buying gifts online gives you endless options to choose from and saves valuable time. As you punch your credit card information into the checkout field, it’s important to remember that this is the peak season for online scams. Many people are so busy that they never second-guess suspicious links, which can result in identity theft or computer viruses. Here's a brief guide to identifying common holiday scams and avoiding computer virus removal services.

Types of Scams

Fake Charities

Hackers take advantage of the giving spirit by posing as fake charities online. Usually, they’ll send emails requesting donations. Alternatively, they may reach out saying you won a gift and need to provide personal information so that they can send it.

Formjacking

Shopping for great deals can take you to websites you’re not familiar with. These offer deals that seem too good to be true, and they often are. Hackers create these sites to host fraudulent checkout pages. 

When you go to purchase the item, you’ll enter your name, address, credit card info, and all the other usual details. Once you submit, the hacker has all this information, which they can use to steal your finances.

Fake Tech Support

You’re likely buying gifts from a lot of different websites this season. Hackers will send emails posing as tech support representatives for these sites. 

They’ll claim that there was an error with your order, ask for personal and financial details, and use this information against you. They might also ask you to download an attachment, which may contain a virus.

How to Identify & Avoid Scams

Don’t interact with any untrusted sources. Also, don’t respond to a charity you never reached out to. Instead, donate directly through the payment portal on the charity’s official website.

Only make online purchases through reputable retailers. If you receive an email from an untrusted source, ignore it, especially if they ask you to download an attachment. If the person is legitimate and needs to reach you, they’ll reach out again. This also applies to anyone posing as tech support. 

Look carefully at the email address of an unknown source. Hackers often slightly adjust it to trick people, like adding an extra letter to a company's name or misspelling a certain word. Some emails may also be riddled with grammatical errors, which is a clear indication that you shouldn't trust them. 

If you need computer virus removal this season, contact SysQuick. Serving Parkville and Baltimore, MD, and the Greater D.C. area, these skilled IT professionals provide comprehensive computer virus removal services. They also address larger needs, like laptop repairs and data recovery services, which you can learn more about online. Call (443) 231-5627 to speak with a technician, or connect on Facebook for more tech insights and advice.