Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season by Avoiding Fake Shopping Apps

According to ComScore, American shoppers spent $56 billion online during last year's holiday season, and almost 20 percent of that came from transactions made on smartphones and tablets. But with convenience comes risk as scammers develop fake apps that steal shopper information.

Rogue apps have been found on Apple and Google Play app stores lately, but there are ways to identify those fake apps before using them. Don Faulkner, chief information security officer, has worked in cyber security for more than 20 years. Here are his tips:

• Always be suspicious. If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. Don't let a good deal suck you in.
• Be cautious of using apps that are having constant sales.
• Only download from official app stores.
• Check the date the app was published. If it's recent, that means the app hasn't been around long and probably isn't real.
• Look out for typos. If there are typos in the app title or description, stay clear of those.
• Use outlets like Apple Pay, Google Wallet or Paypal. Most apps take payment in multiple ways. Using these will keep the app from actually getting your credit card information.

If you find your information has been stolen, contact your bank and credit card company immediately. Learn more about preventing identity theft and avoiding online scams:

• Arkansas Attorney General's Office: My Identity
• stopthinkconnect.org

If you receive suspicious spam or phishing email in your UARK account, forward it to abuse@uark.edu.

See the original story and TV interview on the Channel 5 News website.