Avoid the top Five Holiday Cyber scams: Be safe, not sorry

Canadians continue to embrace online shopping. Last year we bought more than $15 billion of goods and services, up from $12.8 billion in 2007. According to global Internet security provider Trend Micro, increased online activities and financial transactions also mean more opportunities for scammers and hackers. And the holiday season is a perfect time to take advantage of weary shoppers looking for a great deal or gift.

"The convenience of online shopping doesn't have to come at the added cost of being the victim of cyber scam. Much like the real world, if an online deal looks too good to be true, it probably is," says Trend Micro Canada's Ian Gordon, Director of Marketing.

To protect Canadian cyber shoppers this holiday season, Trend Micro offers five of the most popular cyber scams disguised as holiday deals and what you can do to protect yourself:

				Holiday Cyber scams to Avoid	Have a happy and safe holiday on line
1.				Online gift cards offered from an unknown e-tailer, an unsecure URL or individuals reselling online	Purchase on line gift cards from reputable well-known sites and companies.
2.				An email offering this season's hottest laptop or video game for only $100	Shop safely with a sale from a reputable merchant
3.				Charities that want your money for a good cause but are vague about their work or offering tax receipts for more than your actual donations	Donate to recognized charities through a safe and secure site Make sure the charity's business registration number is clearly visible on the site.
4.				Sharing too much information on social media sites like Facebook about your holiday plans	Don't give burglars a chance to visit your home alone. Avoid the impulse to share too much information online about your holiday travel plans.
5.				Infecting your computer with viruses from email and websites promising fun holiday videos or music	Make sure your antivirus software is up to date and blocks access to malicious or infected websites Teach your kids to view content critically and avoid downloading from file-sharing websites and Don't open email, click on links, or accept files from strangers.