KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- A Kansas Insurance Department employee recently received a credit card statement online that showed a balance due. Nothing new, you say—except that the employee has never had that credit card.
The holiday season is a time that everyone should be aware of cyber scams, said Sandy Praeger, Kansas Commissioner of Insurance.
“There are many fraudulent websites and scam artists who are working this holiday season to take your money or identity,” Commissioner Praeger said. “Kansans should verify that the messages and solicitations you receive online are legitimate. We should also be cautious in giving out personal information electronically.”
Some of the potential online holiday problems may include the following:
• Electronic greeting cards that may contain malware.
• Requests for charitable contributions from organizations that you are not familiar with.
• Phony credit card applications.
• Online auctions for selling gift cards.
• Shipping notifications for items you didn’t order.
• Opening up emails with unfamiliar names or addresses.
• Fraudulent solicitations for health insurance, under the guise of the new health care law.
“This is the time of year when we all need to be cautious of scam artists who want to take away our good cheer,” Commissioner Praeger said.
