Holiday Shopping: Tips and Best Practices to Help you Stay Secure

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As we approach the holiday season, in addition to our busy work schedules, we need to plan for family visits, develop menus for special meals, and do a little shopping while the deals are good! It’s a lot to keep track of. Just remember it’s when you are distracted that you tend to put your digital security most at risk. Cybercriminals don’t take holidays. In fact, cyberattacks surge during this time of the year; they actively use all the distractions surrounding the holidays to target individuals and businesses.

Here are some tips on how to ensure you and your family are well protected this holiday season:

Online Shopping Safety Tips

• Never use public computers.
• Ensure your anti-malware software is updated on your devices.
• Use strong passwords even if online retailers accept weak ones.
• Shop from a secure network connection such as your home, avoid using public Wi-Fi.
• Use familiar and safe websites, indicated by a lock symbol or https://.
• Bookmark your favorite shopping sites to get there quickly and safely. Avoid typing the name in the URL bar. This will prevent you from typos that could take you to a fake site that looks identical to the real site.
• Trust your gut! If you question the site’s trustworthiness, move on. Remember, if an offer looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

In-Store Shopping Safety Tips

• Keep your purse close to your body or your wallet in a front pants pocket.
• Do not take your money out until asked, and do not flash a lot of cash.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of suspicious activities.
• Shop during the day, when possible, and, if possible, avoid shopping alone.
• Do not buy more than you can comfortably carry, or ask a store employee to assist you to your vehicle.
• Avoid wearing expensive jewelry or handbags.

Credit Card Best Practices

• Credit – never debit – for online shopping. In case of fraud or a data breach, debit cards do not have the same consumer protections as credit cards. Credit cards don’t give a seller direct access to the money in your bank account – debit cards do. If you rely on your debit card, you could be without that money for an extended period in the event of fraud.
• Choose a credit card with zero-liability protection. This means that you will not be held responsible for unauthorized charges if your card is lost or stolen.
• Do not store your credit card information online or offline with merchants. Unless you are setting up automated payments for essential services, it is safer to enter your card details manually every time you make a purchase. Storing your information on a website increases the risk of cybercriminals accessing it.
• Use a secure digital wallet. A digital wallet is a service that lets you store your card information in one place and use it on any site that accepts it. You do not have to enter your account number or password, which reduces the chance of keystroke logging or phishing. Some digital wallets also offer extra security features such as tokenization. Some examples include Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay.
• Review your statements. Save receipts and review your bank and credit card statements regularly for discrepancies. Check your online account or app for any unusual or unauthorized charges and report them immediately. You can also set up alerts or notifications to inform you of any transactions or changes to your account.
• Shred your documents that contain credit card information. Do not throw away receipts, statements, applications, or other papers that have your card details on them. Shred them or use a secure disposal service to prevent identity thieves from finding them in the trash.

Avoid Social Engineering Attacks

• Don’t call me, I’ll call you: If you receive a call from your credit card company, hang up and call the credit card company using the number listed on your credit card.
• Shipping scams: Email scams are becoming increasingly common. Be wary of emails that appear to be from shipping companies that contain an attached file or link; it’s likely malware.

A few simple steps can go a long way toward keeping your holidays safe and enjoyable.