Be a Safe Santa Online

Today's guest blogger is Hemanshu 'Hemu' Nigam, an advisor on SafetyWeb's Product Advisory Council and the host of SafetyWeb's Blog Talk Radio Show. Hemu is the founder of SSP Blue and an expert in online safety and security who has led security efforts at Microsoft and News Corporation and was the former Chief Security Officer of MySpace. The post was originally featured on Hemu's blog

Sadly my three older kids ages 10, 14 and 15 found out the truth about Santa a few years ago when they snuck into the attic on Christmas Eve and found their Christmas gifts; while my 5 year old still awaits Santa’s visit. Even more sadly (for me), now that they know that Santa is not a poor old man living in the North Pole giving gifts to children around the world but is instead their father who has a wallet and who personally knows how hard they have worked in school all year. I, like most Americans who play the role of Santa and are too busy to spend all day at the mall shopping for their children, am relying on the vast online shopping possibilities that the wonderful world of the Internet provides.

Online holiday shopping is in fact more successful this year than ever before according to a MuyBuys, Inc. press release from yesterday that showcases the successful Cyber Monday sales numbers that well known big box retailers are reporting. In fact, iStockAnalyst points out that Cyber Monday sales crossed the $1 billion mark making it the busiest online shopping day ever.
Wall Street will no doubt debate whether the economy is rebounding or whether we are still stuck in a recession.

While they debate away, one fact is indisputable about our economic situation – consumers are showing much more confidence when it comes to shopping online.

And that leads to another fact that is just as indisputable – scammers are showing much more confidence when it comes to ripping off excited online shoppers.

To put it in perspective, think of the local malls we all visit – the more shoppers go there to shop, the more thieves show up to steal wallets and purses – and they don’t always distinguish between Neiman Marcus and Target as long as there is cash inside.

So let’s make being Santa online safe –

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) provides lots of good tips on avoiding online scams – everything from credit card fraud to identity theft. Check it out here.

Merry online shopping to my fellow Santas.

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