Beware and be careful when making those purchases this year, for scam sake. Creeps are out there all the time trying to figure out how to steal your hard earned money. Companies like Target and Home Depot were victims of what's called 'Data Breach.'

Major retailers in the U.S. have been victims of malware attacks which can effect you the consumer. If it does you'll find yourself replacing your  credit or debit cards

The only way to avoid such activity is to simply pay in cash but who carries cash these days.

You can,of course;  protect yourself from financial damage by checking your account activity on a regular basis too.

Keep regular tabs on your transactions and you should be safe. Always look for something you didn't authorize. Keep tabs on your credit score periodically too.

Sudden score drops is a good indication you could be a victim of identity theft. Checking your score once a month should be suffice.

Have fun shopping but beware.

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