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‘Tis the season, all right. Law enforcement all around the world report an increase in cybercriminal activity during the holiday seasons. Everything from scams to phishing attacks can land in your inbox and it can be very difficult to discern the legitimate from the nefarious.

One of the biggest trends surfacing this year is the proliferation of fake Twitter and Facebook promotions luring consumers into phishing traps and in some cases full-on scams. Many promotions will promise a popular product at a price that seems too good to be true—and it is. Unfortunately, the consumer won’t know that they’ve been taken by a cybercriminal until long after they’ve submitted their credit card or payment information.

There are also several reports of phishing emails coming from what seems to be retailers following up on recent purchases and banks questioning purchase histories. These emails request login information or other sensitive personal data. Unfortunately, more often than not these emails can be surprisingly deceptive and many people can fall for them.

In most cases, it’s best to call a reliable customer service number if you have any questions at all about an email. Also, recognize that most amazing deals found online aren’t worth the risk.

As a side note, many companies will find themselves at risk of security breaches as employees will often use computers for personal use during the holiday season to get shopping done or visit other non-secure sites. The best way to protect your company from this employee use is to have reliable email filter that will prevent spam, protect inboxes and check for suspicious content.

This holiday season, the best gift your can give yourself and your company is peace of mind from inbox attacks.