Nearly half of users of social media admit to falling victim to retail fraud. How can you ensure that your company is safeguarded if some of your team members are making a little last-minute Christmas shopping from the office?

Per the latest report, an incredible 47% of consumers have clicked on links in the expectation of obtaining a fantastic deal only to provide their financial and personal information to cybercriminals.

This might imply that they are not only putting their own data and money at risk, but also exposing your company device and network.

People are being duped online by more than just retail frauds. 36% of targets have been fooled into disclosing personal information via phishing links. When you get an email from what appears to be a person or company you know and trust but is actually from a stranger, it is called phishing.

The same amount of people have fallen victim to gift card scams, in which fraudsters win their victims’ confidence and convince them to purchase gift cards or online coupons.

The consequences for a firm might be disastrous if an employee uses a work device to click a malicious link or download a harmful file. The dangers extend beyond data loss and reputation damage. The expense of being idle while you restart your firm is sufficient to force many individuals out of business permanently.

So, how can your company defend itself from this sort of con both now and during the year?

You should maintain your focus on training your staff in addition to having the appropriate cyber security solutions in place, such as firewalls, antivirus software, and robust password management. Because a squad that can see a threat when they see one is your finest line of defence.

Make sure they are informed on the most recent frauds and are familiar with the warning indicators. Encourage everyone to double-check links and websites for authenticity and to be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.

Put in place a solid plan that goes into effect the instant a security compromise is discovered. Each employee has to be informed of who to call and when to report an incident. By taking prompt action, data breaches are frequently less damaging and are easier and less expensive to remediate.