It's every shopper for themselves this holiday season. With millions of credit card numbers already compromised this year through breaches of major retailers, consumers are advised to be on the lookout for scams that can leave them feeling anything but jolly.

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There is no easy way to protect oneself from in-store credit card fraud. However, shoppers can get a better jump on solving the problem by regularly checking their bank and card statements. Any unauthorized activity should immediately be reported.

"We are in what we consider the year of the breach," said Robert Siciliano, online security expert with McAfee. "Consumers need to pay attention to their statements whether they're using cash or their cards."

Siciliano noted the threat of hacked credit card info is extremely prevalent on the Web as well, from laptops to smartphones, and from social media to email.

"Consumers this year need to look for any emails they receive that look like too-good-to-be-true offers," he said. "Those too-good-to-be-true offers often result in clicking links."

The links, Siciliano said, can lead shoppers to "spoof websites" or download a virus that allows scammers to mirror a user's device and capture their usernames and passwords.

Consumers can visit a retailer's website to see if a certain deal actually exists.

Deceptive emails were among McAfee's "12 Scams of the Holidays," released ahead of the shopping season.

The list advised shoppers to also beware of malicious apps, fake charities and bank robocalls. According to Siciliano, anyone asked for their credit card data over the phone or through email should hang up or press 'Delete.'

Criminals have also learned to gather personal card information through ATM skimming. Consumers can help themselves by looking for suspicious devices attached to the machines, and by covering the keypad while entering their PIN.

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