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As we gear up for another holiday season, fraudsters are also gearing up to steal your holiday cheer and hard-earned money. According to Forbes, U.S. holiday retail sales in 2021 are predicted to increase 2.7% to $1.093 trillion, with e-commerce accounting for a record 18.9% of all holiday retail sales.
Precautions to help keep you safe from hackers, scammers, and thieves during the holiday season.
- Keep a close eye on your transaction history and report any discrepancies to your financial institution.
- Protect your debit card by using fraud-fighting apps like SHAZAM’S Brella. The app sends alerts when a variety of transactions are made. Alerts are also sent about potentially fraudulent activity. Customers can block or unblock their own cards using the app.
- Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks. Hackers can obtain access to these networks and ultimately take control of the data being shared.
- Sign up for alerts using Frontier Bank’s online banking. You can receive alerts sent by text or email about changes to your finances and online security.
- Be aware of the latest scams. The Better Business Bureau offers the ‘Scam Tracker" tool. The tool tracks scams and lists them in map format. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
- When shopping online, make sure the website is secure. Don’t click on ads on social media. Often, these links are how fraudsters try to steal your personal data.
- Only purchase from sites you know and trust.
- Always log out of your online banking apps when you are finished with your transactions.
The holidays should be a time of happiness and enjoyment, not stress and irritation. To protect yourself from the Grinch, you should be proactive in keeping your personal information secure.
Amy Korthals
Customer Service Representative
712-472-2537
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