Newsletter | December 2017

 
 
 

Letter from the Editor

Every year, after our Thanksgiving dinner, my family and I head out for early Black Friday shopping. I’ll admit that I’ve woven through massive crowds and waited in long lines for a great deal on a cute sweater, a video game at half-price, and other discounted novelties. As the shopping season commences, we also keep an eagle eye out for price-cuts on merchandise while shopping from the comfort of our home. We visit the websites of e-Commerce giants like Amazon, online counterparts of department stores, and other web-based merchants. Over the years, Black Friday has bloomed into a bigger Holiday Hype to include, not only Cyber Monday, but Cyber Week, 12 Days of Deals and other marketing tactics to keep shoppers bustling for better bargains.

In the quest for deep discounts online, we must keep in mind that the biggest shopping season of the year is also characterized by a surge in Internet scams and identity theft. Hackers and scammers target frantic and distracted online shoppers who will impulsively purchase their desired items at the cheapest price resulting in unwanted surprises. Hacked bank accounts, financial fraud and identity theft are the results of successful scams, phishing attacks and security breaches. Consumers’ unwary actions lead to compromised credit card numbers, home address, passwords to online shopping accounts and more. With the proper precautions, these undesirable outcomes are avoidable. Already, 2017 is a record-breaking year for online shopping, so as you peruse the World Wide Web in the hunt for gifts that bring glad tidings, keep in mind that online deals that seem really nice might actually be naughty attempts to harvest your personal information for criminal endeavors.

In this edition of the iDrive Newsletter, we’ll expose the details of data breaches, Internet scams and other security threats that surge during the holidays. Since this is the season of giving, we, at iDrive, invite you to join our social media campaign and give the gift of cyber security. Help us shed light on the online shopping threats that are prevalent during the holidays! After you watch our PSA, we encourage you to take a few seconds to share our 5 practical tips that will help you and yours safe and secure while shopping online.

As we look forward to the upcoming New Year, the Advisory Board is calling all budding film-makers, aspiring broadcast journalists and script-writers, ages 13-18, to join in on our nationwide initiatives in 2018: Human Trafficking Awareness Month in January and #NoOneEatsAloneDay in February.

May your days be merry and bright, and may you shop safely and securely online!

Happy Holidays,

From all of us at iDrive

 
 

In this Edition:

Featured Article – e-Commerce: When Online Shopping is a Real Steal

Cyber Monday hit historical records in 2017 as consumers spent $2 billion from their mobile devices alone. But as holiday spirits rise and e-Commerce peaks, security threats surge. How can consumers stay secure during the holiday rush? Find out how you can make informed decisions about your purchases and avoid exposing yourself to Internet scams, fraud and other online crimes. Go To Article →

iDrive | 5 Tips for Smart, Secure Online Shopping

Use these five practical tips so that you can shop securely online while steering clear of online scams and cyber criminals that want to rob you of more than your holiday joy. Go To Article →

iDrive Agent – Join the Movement: Spread the Word About Safe Online Shopping

‘Tis the season of giving! Join us as we give the gift of awareness through our December social media campaign. It’s easy to get distracted and fall into security snares during the holiday hustle and bustle. Discover how you can help your friends and family by shining a light on safe and secure online shopping practices. We’ve even included a PSA video for you to share with your social networks. Go To Article →

iDrive Student Advisory Board – Nationwide Initiative: Calling All Video Producers

Calling all video producers! Do you have an interest in film? Are you eager to make a big impact in the world for good? As we look toward the New Year and the upcoming awareness campaigns, iDrive invites you to take part in our 2018 initiatives: Human Trafficking Awareness in January and #NoOneEatsAloneDay in February. Collaborate with other iDrive Agents nationwide! Learn how you can take part in these major movements. Go To Article →

 
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