How Santa Got Hacked

Seven Tips to Stay Cyber Safe During the Holidays

1. Watch out for unexpected holiday e-cards. This might be a distinguished phish. Make sure to double-check the email address of the sender before clicking anything.
2. Avoid fake charities. Scammers will take advantage of people's generosity around the holidays. Before making a donation, check the CRA's website for the list of legitimate registered charities.
3. Ignore phone scams. More people are at home during the holidays and scammers know that. You should never give out personal information over the phone.
4. Look for the "s". Make sure the URL of the website you're visiting starts with "https." This "s" means you are in an encrypted site and the connection is secure.
5. Pick one card for charging. This way you can set a lower credit card limit and it's easier to monitor suspicious activity. 
6. Do some research. If you're buying from a new online store, do some research on social channels to verify that it's a legitimate site.
7. Double-check shipping notifications. Many scammers will send fake shipping confirmations to get personal info. Check the sender email and make sure order numbers match.

Information courtesy of Beauceron Security. For more information visit getcybersafe.gc.ca or beauceronsecurity.com