Atlanta Computer Users Fall For Holiday Greeting Card Scam

If you thought the Grinch was a mean one, wait until you hear about Christmas card financial scam artists.

You know those e-cards you get from family, friends and co-workers? The ones that feature pretty winter scenes, Christmas trees you can decorate with a point-and-click of your mouse or creepy dancing elves you can personalize with your own face? Well, now they might feature something else - spyware that can infect your computer and steal your identity, according to Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

That's right, by clicking on a simple greeting card, you might actually be installing things like Trojan horses and viruses on your computer. Once your PC is contaminated with malware, criminals can secretly read your personal information and steal your passwords. Sometimes they may simply use your computer to send out spam; in the worst case scenario, they could access your bank accounts and other important financial information. Talk about a very un-merry Christmas.

Fortunately, it's actually quite easy to prevent e-card identity theft. Just be careful where you click.

If you receive an unsolicited e-mail from an address you don't recognize, don't open it - just delete it. And if you do open it accidentally, do not - I repeat, do not - download any attachments or click on any links.

Of course, sometimes you might think you recognize the sender, but it's really a scam in disguise. E-criminals are adept at copying business logos. What they usually aren't great at, though, is grammar and spelling. Read all your e-mails carefully. If you notice a lot of typos, it should raise a red flag. Also be wary of requests that you click on a link to provide personal info at another website - legitimate businesses nowadays should never ask for personal information directly through e-mail.

Avoiding scams is one way to protect your finances - not to mention your holiday spirit. Another way is to finally tackle that debt burden. If financial obligations have been holding you back, why not start fresh in 2011? Filing for bankruptcy can reduce or eliminate most debts while also protecting your house from foreclosure. Find out more for free when you take advantage of a complimentary one-on-one debt analysis with a DebtStoppers bankruptcy attorney in Atlanta.

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