Shopping Safely During the Holiday Season
If you’re like us, you’re probably cramming in some very last-minute gift shopping for this holiday season. Unfortunately, scammers and hackers know this—and try hard to capitalize on the surge of online transactions. Remember, staying safe online during this buying frenzy is crucial. A little bit of cybersecurity prevention can save you from a potential financial or privacy disaster.
Check for Device Updates Before You Shop
Your computers, tablets, and smartphones become vulnerable if they’re running outdated software. Even though it might be a bit of a hassle to sit through an iPhone update, it's a key step in keeping your device secure. Hackers exploit vulnerabilities in outdated operating systems, so updating your devices with the latest patches is a must before starting your online holiday shopping.
Avoid Clicking on Email Links
It might seem inconvenient to manually type in website addresses like "amazon.com" instead of clicking on email links. However, with phishing scams reaching their peak during the holidays, it's a very wise precaution. Clicking on a malicious email link can lead to automatic malware downloads. It's always safer to directly visit websites or use shopping bookmarks in your browser.
Use a Wallet App Where Possible
Handing over your debit or credit card information to a website, especially one you're not familiar with, is extremely risky. Using wallet apps like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal is a much safer alternative. These services allow you to make purchases without directly providing your payment card details to the merchant.
Remove Saved Payment Cards After Checking Out
Many websites, like Amazon, automatically save your payment card details for convenience. However, this can be risky. Hackers accessing your device or account, or a data breach at the retailer, could lead to unauthorized purchases or leaked sensitive information. After checking out, make sure to remove your payment card from the site's settings.
Ensure the Site Uses HTTPS
Always check that the website you are shopping on uses HTTPS instead of HTTP (the “S” is crucial). HTTPS signifies that the website encrypts data transmission, including sensitive information like your name, address, and payment details. Avoid shopping on sites without HTTPS and the small lock icon in the address bar.
Double-Check the Site URL
Typos can lead you to fake, copycat websites that mimic popular retailers. These sites are set up by hackers to trick users into entering sensitive information. Always take a moment to confirm that you've landed on the correct website before beginning your shopping.
Avoid Online Shopping on Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi networks are hotspots for hackers looking to intercept the data of connected devices. We strongly advise that you never shop online or enter sensitive information while connected to a public Wi-Fi network. Instead, switch to your mobile carrier's connection for safer browsing.
Watch Out for Brand Impersonation Emails & Texts
Phishing scams significantly increase during the holiday season. Scammers impersonate popular brands and retailers in their emails and texts, which can look almost identical to legitimate communications. These are designed to trick you into clicking malicious links. Always be cautious and prefer visiting retailer sites directly.
Enable Banking Alerts & Regularly Check Your Account
Regularly monitor your bank account for any unusual activity. Setting up banking alerts for specific transactions, like purchases over a certain amount or from foreign countries, can help automate this monitoring process.
How Secure Is Your Shopping?
With mobile malware being a common tool in holiday shopping scams, it's important to ask: how secure is your device? Consider reaching out to us today, we’d love to help!