3 Ways to Prevent Cybercriminals From Hijacking Your Holiday Mobile Sales

• API reverse engineering: After a new user account is created on a mobile device, hackers can backtrack through the app to collect the user's log-in credentials. This is especially harmful if a consumer uses the same log-in information and password across multiple sites and apps.
• App replacement: Fraudsters steal users’ account information by replacing legitimate apps with a modified version that tracks and records user data and activity. With this information, criminals can use or sell customer data for a profit.
• SMS malware: Although many consumers overlook the security threats SMS messages pose, cybercriminals can leverage premium service text messages to distribute malware through spam.

Consumers can protect themselves from these threats by only downloading apps from well-known, credible sources — and they should be aware of what they share within an app. It's a red flag when an app is requesting an uncommon amount of personal information or authorizations, such as permission to send text messages or block calls.