Holiday shopping season is also online scam season You need to be ready and aware to protect yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.
One of the most important things you can do is start now to develop good cyber security habits. Here are a few tips for shopping online that you should take with you into the new year.
- Focus on secure forms of purchase. Use a credit card online and not your debit card. Once the money is gone from your bank account its gone for good. With a credit card you can at least dispute the charge and get it removed from your bill.
- Don’t answer unsolicited email. This holiday season, as with all others, you will get a ga-gillion emails selling stuff. Be aware! if you don’t know the retailer, have not done business with them and can’t believe the deal they are offering them you better ignore them. If you feel you can’t pass up the deal then at least investigate the company. Then wait 24 hours before you buy the product. And don’t fall for urgency tricks. If you’re in hurry to buy something its probably not good for you or not what you think because you’re not thinking.
- Be careful of holiday charity scams. Someone’s child is starving and won’t have any gifts under the tree. A mother is broke and needs help due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are a million stories, Yes, please give if you can but do it through charities you know or your church. Don’t give away your money just because your heart hurts!
- Protect your privacy. One way to lose your personal information is to give it away. Nothing online is free anymore. You’re going to at least give up an email address. Also, be careful when you see holiday contests that ask for your personal information to win a prize.
- When shopping online be alert to duplicate or fake websites. It may not be Amazon.com you found but Anazom.com or some other clever trick. Check your web address (URL) carefully. You may not be where you think you are. Learn to spot a fake website before it spots you!
- Be aware of fake package delivery problems scams. Its pretty simple, you get an email of text message saying you have a package or letter that FedEdx, UPS or the post office is having trouble delivering to you. “Click on this link.” This could wreck you computer with spyware, ransomware or something else just as bad. If you were not expecting a package then you aren’t getting one.
This holiday season Get Ready! Be Aware!
Now you know
