The bad guys routinely use a combination of methods to take advantage of the holiday shopping season. We need to remain wary and question everything that looks appealing, especially among the deals that look too good to be true. Schemes such as fake email campaigns, embedded links, intentionally misguided results from search engines, and messaging false ads from within social networks should be on your radar.

Scammers, hackers and identity thieves are constantly looking for ways to steal your personal information – and your money. They are also looking to recruit vulnerable computers into their vast “botnets”, that can then be used to send spam, spread viruses, or launch attacks against legitimate businesses over the Internet.

When internet fraudsters impersonate a business to trick you into giving out your personal information, it’s called phishing. Don't reply to email, text, or pop-up messages that ask for your personal or financial information. Don’t click on links within them either – even if the message seems to be from an organization you trust. It isn’t. Legitimate businesses don’t ask you to send sensitive information through insecure channels.

Crooks use clever schemes to defraud millions of people around the globe every year. They often combine sophisticated technology with age-old tricks to get people to send money or give out personal information. Many scammers insist that you wire money, or pressure you to make an important decision on the spot. Don’t fall for such tactics. Use these tips to help you avoid common scams.