Protect your Camp Team from Holiday Scams!

December 3, 2024

Season’s greetings! Some of the responsibility of running a camp software is keeping camps’ information safe and secure. We’ve got a whole team dedicated to it! But not every organization has a specialized security team watching their back. That’s why we’ve put together this article to help prevent any unwanted holiday stress by helping you avoid social and online scams. Whether bad actors are targeting your camp’s operations or you personally, these tips can help you steer clear of risky situations. 

Top 6 Online Security Best Practices for Camps

These tips are good to follow year-round, but during the holidays, scams that tap into the seasonal rush and confusion tend to skyrocket. It becomes critically important to stay vigilant about personal and business security this time of year. 

1 – Follow Email & Phishing Scam Best Practices by Checking Links

Bad actors can use phishing schemes to imitate trusted sources and provide a link, button, or text to take the recipient to a completely different, malicious website—often to steal login credentials or other sensitive information. If you’re suspicious of a link in an email or even an SMS, it’s better to be safe than sorry! 

Inspect URLs in emails or SMS before clicking on them. On a laptop or desktop, hover over the link to see the web address. Alternatively, right-click and choose “copy link address,” or, on mobile, long-press to copy the link. Paste it into a simple text editor to review the web address before trying to access the link, to ensure it’s a trusted website. 

 2 – Always Review the Address Bar for Website Security

Always check your web browser’s security tool. Look for the padlock icon before the URL in the address bar. In some browsers, you may need to click a menu icon to view it and other website security checks. 

• If the padlock is locked, the website has passed basic security checks.
• If the padlock is open, do not enter any private information or payment details.

If you see an issue on a website that you normally trust, contact the company’s support team through a known, secure phone number or email to report the problem. It may be something as simple as an expired security certificate, but it could be a sign of a larger issue. Either way, they will need to investigate the matter and will be thankful for your help. 

 3 – Social Media Scam Best Practice: Don’t Trust New & Unfamiliar Contacts

The holidays bring back memories of loved ones that we’ve grown distant from, and scammers often exploit this by posing as them—usually reaching out from unknown phone numbers or unfamiliar social media handles and claiming to be someone you know. Spoofing a phone number or duplicating someone’s social media profile is common practice for scammers. Newer deceptive tactics like AI-generated voices and images can even make it seem as though you’re s speaking to a familiar contact. In short, remain cautious with unexpected calls or messages, especially around the holidays

 4 – Independently Verify Unexpected Requests for Action or Sensitive Information

Scammers can spoof (imitate) phone numbers, emails, and social media accounts. If a contact—even from a trusted source—requests sensitive information or immediate action, proceed with caution. Hang up, leave the chat, or ignore the email. Then contact the person separately through a trusted method of communication to confirm their identity. 

 5 – Get in the Habit of Checking Often for Device Updates

Today’s tech firms are quick to identify and address security threats, so it’s wise to regularly check for device updates for your computer, phone, smartwatch, tablets, and other web-connected devices—especially during the holiday season when scams are most active. These updates often include security patches or updates for the latest identified threats. 

 6 – Don’t Overshare Online & Become an Easy Target to Impersonate

Lastly, do your part to help protect your coworkers, friends, and family by not sharing personal details online. Believe it or not, cybercriminals aren’t just out to steal your credentials—they often try to impersonate you, using personal details from public social media posts, such as family members' names, hometown, or recent trips, to make their impersonation more convincing. Even a simple, casual mention of a recent life event or activity can give a bad actor enough detail to build a convincing story. Double-check your privacy settings on each post and avoid sharing specific information in public spaces.

How to Know When iCampPro is Really Calling...

Any person or organization can fall victim to social engineering, often through someone impersonating a trusted individual or business affiliate. As your trusted camp management software provider–if you get a call claiming to be from iCampPro asking for sensitive information, or one that seems suspicious in any way, here are some steps you can take to verify the identity of the caller: 

 Check the Caller ID

Check the caller ID for any incoming call. If it’s not from a known iCampPro number, you should be suspicious. However, keep in mind that Caller ID can be spoofed. This check alone does not necessarily prove who the call is from. 

 Offer to Call Back

If the Caller ID check shows it’s us but you’re still suspicious, tell the caller that you’re busy and will call right back. Disconnect the call and dial the official phone number on our website or in your contacts. This way, you can verify you’re contacting a legitimate representative when they answer the phone. 

 Ask to Do an Email Verification

If you’re still suspicious, ask the representative to send you an email. Check the ending of the email address to make sure it's coming from our website (icamppro.com). Then send a separate email to that email address with a secret word or phrase and ask the agent to confirm it over the phone. Scammers may be able to send an email that looks like it’s from us, but they will not be able to receive a fresh email that you send directly to us. 

 Verify Account Details

A legitimate representative should be able to verify details about your account that a scammer would not have access to. Details could be about recent interactions with our team members, subscription info, or specifics about your account setup or registrations. 

 Do NOT Share Sensitive Financial Info Over the Phone

Our team will never ask for sensitive financial information over the phone. A call requesting for you to provide a full bank account or credit card number is a major red flag.

 Report Suspicious Activity Back to Us

If you receive a suspicious call or email claiming to be from our team that just doesn’t feel right, feel free to report it to us. We will promptly investigate. By doing so, you may be protecting yourself and others from a scam. 

Listen to your instincts and follow these tips to protect your sensitive information. Our representatives will always encourage security best practices. If anyone gives you a hard time about a quick verification step, you’re most likely dealing with a scammer. 

Take Cybersecurity Seriously & Be Aware of Email Scam Best Practices

Even if you’ve had some official training on these topics, it’s easy to allow yourself to become more relaxed and trusting around the holiday season. After all, most of us are ready to take a break from work and spend a some quality time with family and friends. That’s why scammers always ramp up their attempts this time of year. 

Here’s how you can help others stay safe and secure this holiday season... 
Share our Online Security Best Practices for Camps with them by forwarding this article in an email, text message or by sharing it on social media. Don’t let your camp team, friends, or loved ones fall victim to a bad actor!