Now that holiday shopping is in full swing, we wanted to share a few online shopping tips about how to stay safe online while buying gifts for everyone on your list.
Keeping an eye on your bank statements
Your first line of defense against identity theft and fraud is to pay close attention to your financial records, like bank statements and credit card transactions. You can usually follow this data up to the minute online. Flag any suspicious activity (like being charged for a purchase you didn’t make) and contact the institution immediately.
Knowing how much items should cost
When shopping online, have a general sense of how much the items you want to buy should cost. Not only will that make you a comparison shopping extraordinaire, but you can also get a sense if an online store has prices that are too good to be true. In these cases, you might pay less, but then you might get an item that doesn’t match the description, is a counterfeit, or you might pay and not get any item at all! A little bit of research can help protect you.
Making a cybersecurity list, checking it twice
This year, give yourself the gift of peace of mind by following the following behaviors:
- Protect each account with a unique, complex password that is at least 12 characters long, and use a password manager.
- Use two-factor authentication for any account that allows it.
- Turn on automatic software updates, or install updates as soon as they are available.
- Know how to identify phishing attempts and avoid the risks of becoming a victim.
Shopping on public wi-fi
Public wi-fi and computers are convenient and sometimes necessary to use. However, public wi-fi is not very secure – you shouldn’t ever shop online or access important accounts (like banking) while connected to public wi-fi. If you must buy a few gifts online while away from your home or work network, use a VPN (virtual private network) or mobile hotspot.
Grinch Bots
Last year, a record number of so-called “Grinch Bots” were recorded. These automated programs quickly buy popular toys, sneakers, or other items and then resell the item for a huge markup to real people. Of course, buying supposedly new items on a resale market opens you up to an increased risk of fraud and counterfeit goods. The best way to defang Grinch Bots is to refuse to buy from them and to only buy items from vendors you can verify.
Sharing more than you feel comfortable with
While you need to share data to make a purchase online, you should be wary of any retailer that is requesting more information than you feel comfortable sharing. Oftentimes, you don’t need to fill out every field, and you shouldn’t if you don’t want to. Find another retailer if an online store requires you to share more information than you want.
Keep the spirit of cybersecurity going all year long
These are some great tips for shopping safe online for the holidays, but they are also good habits to follow no matter what month it is.
