Cybercriminals operate 365 days a year, and they never pass up an opportunity to exploit a big holiday for their own gain. So this Halloween, keep your wits about you and don't get tricked by these scams.
1. Scareware. This is pretty much what it sounds like: software whose purpose is to scare you into doing something, well, dumb. Usually it's a popup window that issues dramatic warnings that your PC has been infected. When you click on the window to download "security software" or visit the advertiser's site, you may end up downloading the very viruses you sought to avoid.
2. "Funny" Halloween videos. If you get an email telling you to watch a video—just don't. Especially if you don' t personally know the sender. And particularly if the video promises something at once vague and topical, like a "funny" "Halloween" video. Click to view that video and the only person laughing might be the hacker who just downloaded a bunch of viruses onto your computer.
3. When somebody else's Halloween costume...is you. Don't fall victim to identity theft. Limit the amount of personal information you put on social networking sites, make sure you're using a secure connection to make purchases online, and don't use password prompts that ask for information that's readily available with a little research.
One of the best ways to protect yourself against these scams—and others—is to use Internet security software that blocks access to malicious sites, filters suspicious emails, and prevents data theft. Find out more about Trend Micro's Internet security products here. And have a fun, safe Halloween!
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