Along with the flood of good cheer, food and festivities, money flows in abudnace during the holiday season. With the whirl of vacations, family events and holiday parties, tis easy to become distracted. In a world domainated by online commerce in a season where online shopping levels are at their highest, the risk of becoming victim to online identify theft rises dramatically. Less malevelent but still potentially detetrimental to your technology investments are the added techno-hazards of sticky candy canes, extra food and drink constantly around the office. In the midst of the mirth and merriment this holiday season, keep a few quick cautions on the list:
1. Be careful where you enter your credit card information – Always try to buy directly from the source, if possible. If you want to buy your son a scarf, websites like LLBean are more safe than other, (smaller and less established,) and most importantly, less secure sites. Never give any personal information out online, such as your social security number. The bottom line: Trust your gut. Would you really need to tell a company your mother’s maiden name when buying a pair of earrings?
2. Along with that great deal, get the warranty! – Everyone wants to get their kid the “hottest new version” of something for the holidays, and that’s great. However, the latest version of things often comes with some bugs, or at the very least, some quirks that have not quite been worked out yet – especially in the electronic world. Cough up the extra 30 bucks – whatever it is – to ensure that your present holds up long after the tree is out on the curb.
3. Keep coffee, hot cocoa, sparkling beverages … and everything else! away from your keyboard and other vulnerable electronics! – No one wants to be a grinch but a little common senses with the office goodie parade go a long way. As people are passing out holiday treats, make sure you keep them away from your computer, printer, laptop, blackberry. A spill like this can make your device unusable, and what’s worst, many warranties don’t cover liquid damage! So enjoy your snacks away from your cube-mate who likes to use lots of hand gestures and always keep your own cups and happy crowds as far away from any stationary electrionics as possilbe. In fact, this might be an excellent time to look in the protective equipment covers that are not only great for environmental hazards like dust but jolley party goers as well.