Face it: the holidays can be stressful and are quickly approaching. The invention of online shopping has gone a long way to making gift giving easier. Before your inbox fills with shipping confirmations, take a few moments to ensure you are searching and shopping safely. After all, you only want to give gifts to your family and friends, not scammers.
Tips for Secure Online Shopping
- Use a credit card. There are laws that limit your liability for fraudulent charges. These laws may not apply to debit cards.
- Your debit cards are directly attached to your checking or savings accounts. You could be without your actual funds for a period of time (or never get them back).
- Watch for small, fraudulent charges in your credit card statement. Sometimes scammers will “test” your credit card with a few, small dollar amount purchases.
- Only do business with reputable vendors. If in doubt, check to see if the business is registered with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org). Read reviews on the website to see if others had issues with the company or products.
- Search websites that being with “https” or “http.” This ensures your information is encrypted (there are extra measures securing your information). Always look for a padlock icon to the left of the “https” or “http” in the browser search box. The padlock icon will be closed if your information is encrypted.
- Do not open emails that request you to confirm a purchase or account information before your items ship. Legitimate businesses will not send you these emails.
Shopping on the Go
- Turn off WiFi or Bluetooth when you are in a store. Some stores track your movements through their stores if your device has these turned on.
- Only make purchases, check email, and bank online on your private WiFi internet connection. Never use public WiFi connections for these online activities.
Important Dates: 2021
November 14 – 20: International Fraud Awareness Week
Help spread the word! Find tips, downloadable posters, and much more by visiting: www.fraudweek.com
November 29: Cyber Monday
Practice the secure online shopping tips if you plan to take advantage of Cyber Monday deals.
Goal:
Search and shop securely online.
Things to Do:
Only use credit cards, not debit cards.
Check to be sure the business is legitimate.
Watch your credit card statements for charges that are not your own.
Never make purchases, check email, or bank online when using public WiFi connections.
Be Informed – Resources:
www.staysafeonline.org
(National Cyber Security Alliance)
www.bbb.org
(Better Business Bureau)
www.fraudweek.com
(Internal Fraud Awareness Week)
Caregivers – How can you get involved?
Offer to help your loved one with online shopping. Having another eye on the purchase could prevent an unsecured purchase.
Remind your loved one to check the credit card and bank statements frequently throughout the holidays. Watch for unusual purchases. Consider setting up online banking to make this easier for your loved one.
