Stay safe as you shop online.
As the holidays draw near, you are sure to take care of some of your shopping online. While online shopping has become an everyday task for many people, it’s important that you don’t forget about the dangers that shopping online can pose. With cyber criminals more active than ever, here are some of the things to keep in mind as you explore your online retail options this holiday season.
- Shop on Trusted Sites
Now is not the time to explore a new site or shop from a brand you’ve never heard of before. Cyber criminals have often used fake websites as a trap to steal unsuspecting shoppers’ payment information. Rather than risk handing your private information to a criminal, stick to trusted, big-name retailers this holiday season.
- Use Pre-Paid Gift Cards
When shopping online, avoid using your credit or debit card information as much as possible. If a hacker managed to break into your account, they would have unrestrained access to your financial information. This is why it’s much safer to shop using a gift card. While a hacker could break in and steal the balance on your card, they would only be able to take that much money. Your credit and the balance of your checking account would stay safe.
- Avoid Public Wi-Fi Networks
Finally, you should avoid shopping while connected to public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi networks, such as the one offered by your local coffee shop, have very little security measures in place. This means that someone connected to the open network could easily track what you are doing. To prevent having your identity or financial information stolen, save your online shopping for when you are connected to your private network at home.
These are some of the precautions you should employ while shopping online this holiday season. Want another way to protect yourself this winter? Make sure you have the proper personal insurance coverages in place. For assistance with all your coverage needs, contact the experts at Scautub Agency in Scotia, New York today.