Silicon Prairie Cyber Services' Blog

    The bad guys are licking their candy canes in sweet, sweet anticipation.   Anticipation of what?   They can't wait to steal your holiday joy (and cash, passwords, and personal information) through the many online scams, cons, fake websites, phishing emails, and tricks they've prepared just for you. You’ll these scams everywhere this month. Especially in your inbox.   Let’s talk holiday phishing emails.   The holiday phishing email often includes an unbelievable coupon, special shopping offer, or impossible-to-get item. Other lures include bogus gift card offers, giveaways, contests, and too-good-to-be-true deals. The scams will also try to create a sense of "act now" urgency, like putting time limits on the deals. So if you see this email in your inbox this holiday season, beware it's the holiday phish, and it's come for you.   M ake sure you and your friends have grabbed your guide to   safe and secure online holiday shopping.

Have you seen the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and ads that started before Halloween was even over? Businesses want you to spend your money shopping with them. And that means cyber criminals are just a few steps behind and ready to snag your cash instead.   To help you keep your money safe and receive the gifts you want this holiday season, I'm sharing…   5 TIPS TO SPOT A HOLIDAY SCAM   1.  Beware of the gift that was SUPER CRAPPY or NEVER WAS Keep your eyes peeled for the many clickbait ads promoting sought-after products or the impossible-to-score gift. Unfortunately, some of these ads are from fraudsters, posing as merchants who want to steal your passwords or give you the gift of malware. Some merchants will disappear without a trace, while others will send you an inexpensive, ineffective product for the same reason (AKA the crappy gift). Don't be a victim of the gift that never was. Don't click on the link in the email, avoid the online ad clickbait, shop with r