Ho-ho-hold on just a second there! Was that an unsecured link you were about to click on? Were you about to buy from a site without doing proper research? Please don’t tell me that you were going to give out your personal information without verifying that the site is safe first.
Now more than ever you should be extra vigilant when it comes to safe online shopping habits. Don’t let holiday scammers and criminals steal your holiday spirit! Before doing any of your online shopping this year, take a look at what we have to say about staying safe this year.
Here are some quick tips to help make sure your online shopping experience is safe and secure.
Shopping Online Safely This Season
1. Deck Your Passwords
Password protection should never be taken lightly for both your personal accounts and your business emails. With too many seasonal trolls out there peeking for a way to steal your precious information, proper password hygiene is your first step to keeping them away. Too many holiday shoppers underestimate the importance of a good, secure password.
In fact, 51% of people use the same password for both work and personal accounts. This is a huge mistake and an open ticket for cybercriminals. If you are looking to improve your passwords to protect your shopping, these tips can help:
- Make sure your password is at least 8 characters long.
- Always log off or sign out when you’ve finished shopping.
- Mix up your passwords with a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters.
- Change your password regularly
2. There’s no place like home! (For online shopping)
Secure network connections are key when trying to protect your personal information. You should always avoid shopping or browsing on public or open connections (like at a cafe or library). You’re much better off if you stick to safe online shopping from your own home network. Public WiFi can be hacked, leaving you vulnerable to having your information stolen.
3. Do you see what I see? It’s a reputable shop!
Whenever shopping online, make sure that you are aware of who and where your money is going. Whether it’s a pop-up store on social media or an established e-commerce website, research the site thoroughly before providing any personal information like credit card numbers or home addresses. Before checking out of a new online store look for reviews from outside trustworthy sources.
Pay attention to things like spelling errors in URLs, as well as discrepancies between domain names and SSL certificates. If anything looks off about a site or source, don’t take any chances – just move on to somewhere safe instead!
4. Say “MisteNO” to sharing too much
Knowing what personal information to share and when is key. Before completing any online transaction, make sure to read the terms and conditions carefully and only provide relevant information. Be careful to who you give access to your location or contacts list – this can be a common way for hackers to find more data.
“Sleigh” Cybercriminals this Year Through Proper Cyber Hygiene!
Whether you’re shopping for trees, turkey, or toys, safe online shopping is key. With the right precautions, you can enjoy a safe and secure holiday season. Keep these tips in mind and stay safe out there!
For more information about safe online shopping and to access the expertise of managed IT cybersecurity pros, contact Stasmayer today.