It seems like the holiday season has hit early this year, with many retailers running “don’t wait for Black Friday” campaigns. With all those bargains to be had, it’s important to remember a few safety tips for holiday shopping online.
Stick to Reputable Sites
Make sure you know the site you’re ordering from. If it looks too good to be true, or if an item is unbelievably cheap, it’s probably fake and you’re likely to receive sub-standard goods, if you receive anything at all. Save yourself the stress by double checking the site’s address when you choose your products and then again before you check out.
Stay Away from Public WiFi
Lots of people shop from their phones or tablets these days, but public, unprotected wifi networks leave your data and financial information vulnerable to anyone else on that network. If you shop over wifi, make sure you’re on a secure network. Using a consumer VPN adds another layer of protection.
Look For The Lock
Only give your payment information to a secure site. You can tell a site is secure by looking for the padlock icon next to the site’s address in the address bar. That lock icon and “https” in front of the site name mean that your financial data is processed through encryption to keep it safe from bad actors.
Monitor Your Accounts
Keep an eye on your bank accounts and credit card statements starting now and keep it up through the end of January. Most credit cards will not hold you liable for any fraudulent activity, but if someone gets access to your bank account, they can drain it quickly. So, if you see anything suspicious, report it to your bank or financial institution immediately!
Keep these tips in mind and stay safe online this holiday season!
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