This festive season (and all through the new year), do keep these cyber hygiene tips (adapted from the recommendations by the firm) in mind:

• Trust no email without exhaustive checking!
  Exercise caution when clicking on links or opening email attachments, even if they come from familiar or regular sources. Watch out for emails (phishing), text messages (smishing), phone calls (vishing), or voicemails that try to convince you into revealing personal or financial information. Always verify the legitimacy of requests (do it offline if necessary) before providing any sensitive information.
• Verify before you buy
  When shopping online, make sure you are dealing directly with reputable sellers and websites, and not through referral links that could be rigged or hijacked by fraudsters. Double-check seller reviews and ratings, but know that even these can be artificially jacked-up with fake endorsements and shady marketing services. Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. If possible, use a credit card or trusted payment platform that offers buyer protection. Even better, use a debit card with minimal funds specifically topped up only when necessary. Avoid clicking on links in emails or social media ads: instead, navigate manually to the legitimate sites you want to buy from, or those trusted sites that you have already bookmarked.
• Cybercriminals attack your instincts
  Cybercriminals know that if something feels off or too good to be true, you may trust your instincts. So they will go to great lengths to stop you from reacting cautiously to your instincts. To stay safe, never be rushed into any deal, and ensure that your instincts are on a “doubt-first, commit later” frame of mind. Take a step back, pause, and thoroughly scrutinize the situation or offer before making any decisions. Teach yourself to be suspicious of any messages containing a “stressor” — something that tells you to “act NOW! or else negative consequences will happen”. Most professional messages, even if they need you to respond quickly, rarely contain threatening “Do it now or else” tone of voice.
• “Delivery failure” scams await you
  Be particularly mindful of delivery note scams this time of year, because when we order more things online, we expect these types of messages and are more likely to believe the contents when we should not.
• Conduct your own due cyber diligence
  Always research and verify investment opportunities before committing any funds. Consult with a licensed financial advisor or conduct your own due diligence to ensure the legitimacy of the investment opportunity and the individuals or companies involved. In addition, know that even with your best efforts, you cannot rely totally and solely on yourself to keep secure online. It is crucial to utilize strong additional cybersecurity measures such as firewalls, virtual private networks, anti-malware/phishing software; and regularly monitor your investment activities for any unusual patterns.