THE TENTH SCAM OF THE SEASON

The ghost of data present

You may assume your data is under control, but there are countless data-broker and people-search websites that compile information on you and your family, including your name, address, email, phone number, and property holdings. Cybercriminals purchase this information and use it to launch a targeted attack.

82% of U.S. adults were targeted by some form of holiday-related fraud in 2024

 AARP (Nov 2024). How Much Do You Know About Holiday-Related Scams?

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Warning signs
  • You receive a call or message referencing personal details that the person shouldn’t realistically know
  • You notice a new account opened in your name, or unexpected credit inquiries
  • You’re getting unsolicited mail or email about property or assets you own
  • You receive alerts from your bank about login attempts you didn’t initiate

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How to stay safe
  • Periodically check your credit report for unfamiliar activity
  • Use a strong, unique password for each major account and enable multifactor authentication
  • Remove your data from people-search and data-broker sites when possible (use opt-out forms)
  • Be conservative about how much personal detail you share publicly that could feed online profiles