As the holiday season is winding down, you may be left with gift cards that you are ready to do some more shopping with. Microsoft recently issued a warning about a growing cyber threat called "Storm-0539," and it specifically involves gift card scams.
In a nutshell, cybercriminals are finding ways to exploit vulnerabilities in gift card systems, putting us at risk, especially during the holiday season. Gift card fraud is unfortunately becoming a common method for criminals to make money, and we need to be cautious to protect our assets and sensitive information.
To help you stay safe, NCB suggests you take the following steps:
- Keep Everyone Informed: Share information about the rising threat of gift card scams and help family, friends and colleagues recognize phishing attempts and scams.
- Use Extra Security Measures: Where possible, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of protection.
- Keep Software Updated: Make sure all security software is up to date, including antivirus programs, to guard against the latest threats (on both organization and personal devices).
- Watch Gift Card Transactions: Regularly check and monitor gift card transactions for anything that seems unusual or suspicious.
- Be Cautious with Requests: Remind everyone to double-check any unexpected requests for gift card purchases or transfers, especially if they seem odd.
- Report Anything Suspicious: If someone receives an email or message that seems fishy, encourage them to report it to their company's IT department right away or for personal emails, delete it.
The holiday season is unfortunately a prime time for cybercriminals, so by being informed and taking a few simple steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to scams.
