Cybersecurity expert warns of scammers this Black Friday
CHICAGO - Black Friday shoppers are ready and so are the scammers. While we’re looking for deals, they’re ready to steal our information.
"Increasingly we're seeing a lot more activity coming in the form of text messages and most of us have historically thought, well a text message is coming from a more trusted source. Not true anymore," said Tom Kelly, a cybersecurity expert and CEO of IDX.
Kelly offers four tips to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft or financial fraud.
First, don’t open emails you didn’t sign up for. Never click on links inside sketchy emails. If a deal is advertised in an email, go directly to the store’s website to check it out, rather than clicking a link.
Second, only shop on trusted websites. And, look for the secure lock symbol when making a purchase.
Third, don’t use unsecured internet, at a mall or airport for example, to shop.
Fourth, Kelly says scammers are all over Facebook. They often send messages, posing as a friend or trusted business with refunds or deals.
Kelly says if you think you have been scammed, change your passwords immediately, lock your credit accounts and check to see if there has been any unauthorized activity on those financial accounts.