1. Mobile Malware: Malware targeted at mobile devices is on the rise, and Android smartphones are most at risk. And, new malware has recently been found that targets QR codes, a digital barcode that consumers might scan with their smartphone.
2. Malicious Mobile Applications - Dangerous apps such as games. Last year, 4.6 million Android smartphone users downloaded a suspicious wallpaper app that collected and transmitted user data to a site in China.
3. Phony Facebook Promotions and Contests –cyberscammers have sprinkled Facebook with phony promotions and contests aimed at gathering personal information. A recent scam advertised two free airline tickets, requiring participants to fill out multiple surveys requesting personal information.
4. Fake Antivirus software – Scareware is the fake antivirus software that tricks someone into believing that their computer is at risk, or infected, so they agree to download it. This is one of the most common and dangerous Internet threats today, with an estimated one million victims falling for this scam each day.
5. Holiday Screensavers—A recent search for a Santa screensaver that promises to let you “fly with Santa in 3D” is malicious. Holiday-themed ringtones and e-cards have been known to be malicious too.
6. Mac Malware –With the growing popularity of Apple products, for both business and personal use, cybercriminals have designed a new wave of malware directed squarely at Mac users.
7. Holiday Phishing Scams – Phishing is the act of tricking consumers into revealing information or performing actions they wouldn’t normally do online using phony email or social media posts.
- E.G.1 A phony notice from UPS, saying you have a package and need to fill out an attached form asking for personal or financial details that will go straight into the hands of the cyberscammer.
- E.G.2 Banking phishing scams. From July to September of this year, McAfee Labs identified approximately 2,700 phishing URLs per day.
- E.G.3 Scammers send their fake messages via a text alert to a phone to collects the user’s personal information including Social Security number, address, and account details, to reactivate a bank “compromised” bank account.
8. Online Coupon Scams – 63% of shoppers search for online coupons or deals when they purchase something on the Internet, and recent NRF data shows that consumers are also using their smartphones and tablets to redeem those coupons. By offering an irresistible online coupon, scammers can get people to hand over some of their personal information.
9. Mystery Shopper Scams – people who are hired to shop in a store and report back on the customer service. Scammers send text messages to victims, offering to pay them $50 an hour to be a mystery shopper, and instructing them to call a number if they are interested, and ask for their personal information, including credit card and bank account numbers.
10. Hotel “Wrong Transaction” Malware Emails – Travel-related scams. Recently, a scammer sent out emails that appeared to be from a hotel, claiming that a “wrong transaction” had been discovered on the recipient’s credit card, asking them to fill out an attached refund form. Once opened, the attachment downloads malware.
11. Hot Gift Scams – Sold out hot holiday gifts, advertised by scammers on rogue websites and social networks, even if they don’t have them. Consumers could wind up paying for an item and giving away credit card details only to receive nothing in return.
12. “I’m away from home” Scammers – Posting information about a vacation on social networking sites could be dangerous. A quick online search can easily turn up their home address.