We’re officially in the holiday season, which means it’s time to start thinking about what to get the people you love. If you’re like a lot of Americans, there’s a good chance at least some of your shopping will be done online.
While shopping online is convenient, it also comes with risks. There are a few things you can do to keep yourself safe this season. Here are just a few ways to stay safe when buying gifts online.
Know A Site Before You Shop With It
It’s easier than ever for scammers to create professional-looking websites that promise great deals on popular items. Unfortunately, these sites often steal financial info or infect your computer with malware—sometimes without you knowing it right away.
You should always double-check that an e-commerce site is legitimate before you buy anything from it. Look for reviews, contact information, and other signs that the site is trustworthy. It may take some extra time, but it could save you a lot of money in the long run—as well as your peace of mind!
Use A Secure Network
If you’re going to do any shopping on your phone or tablet, try to use a secure network whenever possible. When
Online shopping is fast and easy, but it’s also a great way to get scammed. Here are some tips to help you stay safe when buying gifts online.
1. Make sure the website is secure.
The URL should start with “https://” rather than “http://”. It should also have a padlock symbol next to the URL in the address bar.
2. Check for reviews of the site on a consumer review site like TrustPilot or Consumer Affairs.
3. Use a credit card – not your debit card – as it will be easier to get your money back if there’s a problem with the purchase or if you spot any suspicious activity on your account.**
The internet has made shopping a whole lot easier. But when it comes to buying gifts online, you need to be especially careful – and not just because you’re parting with your hard-earned cash.
If you want to stay safe while browsing the web this holiday season, here are some things to look out for from our friends at Get Safe Online:
Online shopping scams
Be wary of unsolicited emails encouraging you to buy gift vouchers, particularly for major retailers as these are often fake. A genuine retailer will never contact you by email asking for personal or financial information in this way.
Watch out for fake websites offering heavily discounted items for sale and set up by cyber criminals. These sites often use URLs that closely resemble those of genuine retailers, but will use a slightly different spelling or add words such as ‘deals’ or ‘offers’.
If in doubt, type the web address of your chosen retailer into the browser directly rather than following a link in an email or on social media.
Bogus apps
Many fake apps have been designed to look like legitimate ones so check the developer name carefully before downloading or purchasing any apps. You can also check app reviews to see if other users have experienced problems with it too.
Cyber Monday, the day after Thanksgiving, is predicted to be the biggest shopping day of the year. In 2011, Cyber Monday sales totaled over $1.25 billion, a 16% increase over 2010. The average order value was $198.26, up 10% from last year.
As you prepare your holiday shopping list and plan to spend even more online, it’s important to stay safe when buying gifts online:
1. Only buy from websites you’re familiar with or that are recommended by someone you trust.
2. Don’t give out personal information like your social security number or credit card information on a non-secure website or via email.
3. If you’re ordering something online and giving it as a gift, make sure that it can get to you in time for you to wrap it and give it to the recipient by the time you want them to have it. Make sure to plan for delays in shipping before and around the holidays!
4. Be wary of pop-up ads offering great deals; they could contain malicious software that will infect your computer if you click on them!
When you’re shopping online, it’s important to know that your personal information is safe. However, when buying gifts, it can be difficult to make sure that your purchases are actually secure.
Fortunately, though, there are actions you can take to make sure that you’re safe when buying presents for friends and family.
The following tips will help you stay safe while shopping online:
With the holiday season upon us, it’s time to break out the credit card and start shopping. Many consumers will be doing some (or all) of their shopping online. While there are many benefits to shopping online, it can also be a dangerous time for your wallet and identity if you’re not careful.
Here are some tips to keep in mind before you start buying gifts online:
– Never purchase from an unsecured website. When you input your credit card number, it should be on a secure connection. You can tell if a site is secure by looking at the address bar in your browser. If it starts with https://, then you are safe. If it starts with http://, then you should be worried!
– Only buy from reputable sites that have been around for awhile. If you’ve never heard of them before, research them before purchasing anything from them.
– If a site requires you to use Flash to make purchases, run away! Flash is not secure and works poorly on mobile devices. Plus, there is no reason why any site needs Flash to sell products nowadays since HTML5 works cross-platform on all major devices and browsers. If they say they use Flash because “it looks nice” or something similar, then
Every year, it seems more retailers are offering deals to online shoppers.
In fact, online spending has doubled over the past decade, according to US Census Bureau data.
The increase in online shopping makes sense considering the convenience and ease of buying from home.
However, along with the perks of shopping online come a number of potential risks—such as identity theft and credit card fraud—that can put you or your loved ones at risk.
Fortunately, you don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to protect yourself while holiday shopping this season. We’ve highlighted some easy-to-follow steps that can help keep your personal information secure, so you can focus on finding the perfect gifts for all the important people in your life.