Safe Online Shopping Tips

With the holidays quickly approaching during the pandemic, online shopping will be a crucial part of holiday shopping. According to the FBI1 instances of cybercrime have jumped by as much as 300% since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic so this year especially it’s critical that people understand how to protect themselves while making online purchases. Keep these tips top of mind to keep your money and account information safe.

• Secure your computer. Make sure your computer has the latest updates installed, including your anti-virus software.
• Secure your transactions. Look for the lock icon on your browser’s status bar and ensure the web address includes “https” before entering account information and completing your purchase. The “s” and lock icon indicates the page is encrypted and secure.
• Make payments securely. Pay by credit card rather than debit card. If a criminal gets your debit card information they have the potential to wipe out your bank account.
• Select merchants carefully. Limit your online shopping to merchants that you know and have shopped from before. Be cautious of fraudulent websites pretending to be a reputable company.
• Keep a record. Keep track of your online purchases as you would in-store ones. Ensure you received a receipt that includes the product and overview of the purchase.  

Remember that Sandia Area is here to help with any questions or concerns regarding debit and credit cards and your account. For more information about cybersecurity awareness click here.

References:

1. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/349509