Stay safe this holiday season

1. Passwords are like presents – Keep them secret!
2. Don’t get caught by phishing scams
3. Keep your online shopping smart!
4. Oversharing isn’t caring
5. Beware of using public charging and Wi-Fi

The internet never goes on holiday – even though you do – so this festive season, let’s take a moment between celebrations to be cyber-savvy and keep your online life as bright as those fairy lights, with no nasty shocks.

The ‘silly season’ may bring much joy and sparkle to your everyday life, but it’s also good to remember that it’s a time when those super-shady characters on the internet crawl out to wreak havoc.

Falling prey to cyber scams, identity theft, home robberies, and oversharing is rife – and that kind of drama is exactly what you don’t need while you’re trying to live your best life and enjoy your festive break this summer.

Here are five tips to share, shop and scroll-smart to keep your data safe, and your memories merry and bright.

1. Passwords are like presents – Keep them secret!

If you’re hoping to find a new phone or laptop under the tree this festive season, check out these Telkom Summer Deals and start dropping hints now.

Remember, when you get your device, strong, unique passwords are your best defence against hackers – and, no, using ‘123456’ or ‘password’ are not super-safe.

Keep yours more than 12 characters long, include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, at least one digit, and a symbol or two.

Tip: Use a password manager to keep track, rather than storing them in your browser. Make sure to enable multi-factor authentication for an added layer of safety.

2. Don’t get caught by phishing scams

You know those e-mails that say you’ve won a free 12-night trip to the Maldives (that you don’t remember entering), or that $456-million inheritance someone wants to give you because you share their last name? These are scams – here’s the low-down on what to look for.

But these kinds of phishing attacks don’t just come in on email – ‘smishing’ scams are done via SMS; and ‘vishing’ scams are suspicious calls or voice notes – and they ramp up during the holidays.

If a link or email you receive seems off (look for typos, weird sender-addresses, or demands that are too urgent or time-sensitive), delete it and don’t click on anything!

If you want to find amazing, legitimate deals on tech and data this Summer, check out these Telkom Summer Deals and remember to Tap2Win your share of R350 000 in prizes.

Tip: Never give out your passwords or credit card details unless you’re 100% sure of the source. Legit companies – like banks, or their fraud departments – will NEVER call you or ask for that information on email or via SMS. If it’s a call, don’t answer any questions. Rather call the company or bank back and verify that way.

3. Keep your online shopping smart!

Beware of adverts you see on your social media ‘for you page’ and/or news feed on! No matter how legit they may look, many fraudsters can make up their own ads that link through to very legitimate-looking websites.

Fake websites and SEO poisoning are rife right now – especially those that offer deals that seem far too good to be true. Only shop on sites you already know, love and trust, that have secure payment gateways (look for https:// in the site’s URL).

Tip: If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is – and you really can live without that ugly sweater with the light-up reindeer on it! But if you love a legit special offer, Telkom’s got your back!

4. Oversharing isn’t caring

With identity theft a stark reality of life, cybercriminals ramp up their efforts over the holidays – and you oversharing on socials is an invitation for them to take advantage of you. We’re not saying don’t share at all – with Telkom Summer data deals, just be super-careful BEFORE you post.

Posting photos of your ID number, boarding pass, car licence plate (or disc), house number or street sign or, if you’re a car-pool mom, shots of your child’s school parking sticker on your windscreen is only inviting trouble.

Tip: Crop it, blur it, or don’t post it at all. Turn off geotagging when posting photos and only share your location in private messages if you trust the person. Tag people with care – especially if people’s children appear in the shot – rather shoot a quick, ‘Hey, mind if I post this?’ message before posting.

5. Beware of using public charging and WiFi

Free WiFi at the airport or coffee shop may seem like a Christmas miracle when you’re running low on data (but why, with these Telkom Summer Deals?), until you realise it’s a hacker’s paradise. Unsecured networks can compromise your personal information and expose you to all sorts of data breaches that can be complicated to get out of.

And what about those public charging stations? They can be rigged with malware faster than Father Christmas eats mince pies.

Tip: Both these scenarios can be avoided, either by using a great Telkom LTE WiFi deal, a VPN or preloaded personal mobile hotspot, or your own portable Telkom power bank. Remember, if you have to share someone’s phone, laptop or network, don’t log into banking apps or do anything that requires inputting your password for sensitive transactions.

Here’s hoping that these December ho-ho-holidays are festive and fun – stay safe and sleigh on!