Fake apps, fraud take joy out of holiday shopping, 4 tips as shoppers start planning holiday toy shopping, 5 scams that are fooling even the smartest victims, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. If the account autosaves it, after the purchase go in and delete the stored payment details. Or use your smartphone as a personal hotspot, which is safer than free Wi-Fi. The introduction of smartphones and mobile applications has made online shopping easy and convenient. On a related note, keep your devices up to date by turning on “automatic updates.” This includes your Web browser and third-party add-ons, which could warn you if you land on suspicious websites. How To Stay Safe Online. More: Fake apps, fraud take joy out of holiday shopping. Wi-Fi devices have a security flaw. Since online shopping is becoming more prevalent, it’s becoming safer and safer to use your credit card for an online transaction. Do your homework, think with your head and NOT your heart and always have your wits about you. Update your anti-virus software and anti-spyware programs. If you need to create an account to make a purchase, use a secure password that you can remember (stay away from passwords like “12345” or even the word “password” because they are easy to guess). Also, don't forget about the No. Many opt for a passphrase instead of a password, which is typically a long sequence of strung-together words, but perhaps with a number and symbol in there, too. Shopping apps tend to be a good way to stay safe online since, unlike a website, you only login once upon installation. Also, read the item description carefully before you buy, including where the seller is located, shipping charges, if the product is new or used, refund and return policies, and payment methods accepted. Luis Navarro’s top tips to stay safe online this Black Friday weekend: 1. Online shopping is on the rise. And never use the same password for all online shopping sites (or other Web activities, like online banking), as once someone guesses one password, they’ll have free reign over everything else. Do your homework on any business you’ve... 3. Online shoppers are looking for tips for online shopping. Since if you post something online, you won’t be able to delete it forever (for example, Twitter), so keep that in mind and check whatever you are about to post isn’t harming you or others. These tips for online shopping allow you to shop online freely and without hesitation. Be alert to the kinds of information being collected to complete your transaction. From the convenience of making purchases at your fingertips and next-day delivery to getting great deals and an the endless catalogue of purchasable items, online shopping has only grown in popularity. Always use a secure Internet connection when making a purchase. Sticking with popular brands is as good as any advice when... Use credit cards and secure payment services instead of debit cards. Credit cards aren’t connected directly to your bank account like your debit card is, and their limits … So, what can you do about it? You can always ask a question of a seller and reputable ones will reply in a timely manner. While the increased availability of online shopping is convenient, it also makes it more lucrative for scammers to trick buyers into paying for goods they won’t receive or obtain their personal information for financial gain. Similar to “phishing” emails that look like they’re from legitimate stores, these counterfeit apps — complete with an authentic-looking logo and marketing messaging — want your credit card information to steal your identity. Be sure to continuously check your accounts for any unauthorized activity. Vet new-to-you businesses. How to Stay Safe While Shopping Online During Black Friday and Cyber Monday Robyn Beck / AFP - Getty Images file A record number of people are expected to do their U.S. holiday shopping online because of the coronavirus pandemic — which means an increased risk of falling for online scams, experts say. Using a credit card is much better than using a debit card; there are more consumer protections for credit cards if something goes awry. More: 4 tips as shoppers start planning holiday toy shopping, More: 5 scams that are fooling even the smartest victims. Online shopping: top tips to stay safe and shop smart 1. Online stores are open 24/7, and you can wear your pajamas. Shop with reputable retailers. Avoid using public Wi-Fi or public computers when shopping online. Beware of sites and apps that only accept money orders, wire transfers, or checks. With the increased volume of online shopping, it’s important that consumers understand the potential security risks and know how to protect themselves and their information. If you’re making purchases online, make sure you’re taking these steps every time. Stay safe when shopping online Today there are countless online shopping opportunities – most of which are legitimate. investigation found thousands of Amazon sellers offering free... 2. This includes library or airport PCs. Use your credit card versus your debit card. Always use a secure Internet connection when making a purchase. And never use the same password for all online shopping sites (or other Web activities, like online banking), as once someone guesses one password, they’ll have free reign over everything else. Never be the first to download a new shopping app. If you’re interacting with brands on social media, make sure they’re “verified,” with the little blue checkmark by their profile, which means the company is legit. If the merchant is requesting more data than you feel comfortable sharing, cancel the transaction. Watch out for scams. With these 10 … It’s important to take steps to protect yourself when shopping online. But with online fraud making up around half of all crime in the UK, it’s important to follow some simple rules to give yourself the best chance of having a secure online shopping experience. In other words, you won’t be held liable for fraudulent charges. THINK. It’s best to shop directly with online retailers you know and trust. Keep your device and your browser up-to-date Create long and unique passphrases for all accounts and use multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible. Halloween has come and gone, the calendar has changed to November and we all know what that means: Holiday Shopping! When on marketplaces like eBay, check the seller’s reputation and read comments before buying a product to see what the experience was like for past customers. Clearly, many enjoy the benefits of online shopping. A recent Which? My Top Tips To Stay Safe While Shopping Online At the risk of sounding dramatic, I want you to channel your James Bond when you shop online this holiday period. Bookmark your... 2. 7. Here's how to protect yourself. Basic Safety and Security Tips Keep a clean machine: Keep a clean machine. Copyright © 2021 Stay Safe Online — NCSA. Another tip is to use gift cards, like many retailers offer, as a smart way to shop without providing any financial information. Always have good anti-malware (“anti-malicious software”) installed to catch threats like viruses. Examine a site for trust indicators. In an era where more hackers roam the world wide web than ever before, how can consumers stay safe when shopping online? A recently discovered vulnerability could allow attackers to intercept sensitive data being transmitted between a Wi-Fi access point and a computer or mobile device, even if that data is encrypted. Also, when shopping online, leave your debit card in you wallet and use a credit card instead. Product selection is vast, to say the least, including many stores and unique items sold outside of the country. These are online shoppers. One of our favourites is taking a photo of the item on a recent newspaper with the day’s date. The Dangers of Online Shopping and How to Stay Safe [Video/Infographic] December 27, 2018 This past Cyber Monday, consumers spent nearly $8 billion online, with over 54% of purchases made directly from smartphones. 4. They’re trying to lure you to click a link in the email, which takes you to an authentic-looking website, and fool you into typing in information. It’s always a good idea to review your account transactions online or go through monthly paper statements to see if anything looks questionable. We advise extreme caution if you see any deals advertised on … Carefully consider how much personal information you share when you shop online. Ignore emails or texts that claim to be from a retailer (or your bank or Internet Service Provider). Reputable websites use technologies such as SSL (Secure Socket Layer) that encrypt data during transmission. That is why, when you are downloading something from the web, you need to be alert to stay safe online. Reputable websites use... Use a secure payment method. 1. 4 Steps to Stay Safe While Shopping Online. For most of us, though, the benefits of going online far outweigh the risks – if we’re smart about what we do there. A full list of tech scams and tips on how to stay safe online, as criminals use various software, viruses and online auctions to get your money. 5 top tips on buying online in a safe and secure way Stick with trusted brands that have a strong reputation. You only need to fill out required fields at checkout and you should not save your payment information in your profile. However, these apps can become a free-for-all if your phone happens to fall into the wrong hands. Here are a few tips to help: 1. E-mail him at askmarcsaltzman@gmail.com. Phishing Scams. Avoid unbelievably hot “deals” from unknown merchants, such as someone selling an iPhone 8 for $200. Here are four things you need to know to stay safe while shopping online. Look for the little padlock in the address bar or a URL that starts with “https” instead of “http,” as the “s” stands for “secure.” Some browsers will tell you it’s safe to give out your credit card by showing you a green address bar, while unprotected ones will be highlighted in red. But to shop online safely, and protect your personal identity from malicious types, take heed of these online shopping safety tips. You don’t have to fight traffic to drive to the mall and circle the parking lot. It’s easy to compare prices between multiple retailers and read both customer and professional reviews of products before you buy. Try not to do any online shopping when you're using a public computer (such as in an airport lounge) or when you're using a public Wi-Fi network (say, at your favorite coffee shop or in a hotel lobby). Being a safe and secure shopper starts with STOP. Or use password management apps if you’re worried you won’t remember the password. These “phishing” attempts look legit, but it they ask you to confirm your financial or personal details on a website, they’re fake. Know your rights and the company’s returns policy. Look for well-known security labels such as DigiCert, VeriSign, and other seals. MFA will fortify your online accounts by enabling the strongest authentication tools available, such as biometrics or a unique one-time code sent to your phone or mobile device. Or, you can use a third party payment service instead of your credit card. While the benefits of online shopping using a smartphone are numerous, safety … Even before it gets to that, you might be notified by your credit card company or bank if suspicious activity is detected. 10 tips to help you stay safe when shopping online. Online shopping risks are almost always possible to guard against. Some have been found to contain “malware” (malicious software) that can also infect a mobile device, while others ask you to log in with Facebook credentials to lift personal data. As we saw last year, hundreds of phony retail apps popped up in Apple’s App Store and Google Play (for Android devices), in the hopes of tricking shoppers into downloading and using them. You can always ask a question of a seller and reputable ones will reply in a timely manner. Kim Komando tells you what to do, and what old advice to ignore, about creating passwords that will thwart hackers. Ship to a secure location The rise of online shopping has led to an increase of home deliveries — and with it, an increase in “porch pirates”, or … You don’t want to give cybercriminals a direct line to your back account. A guide for consumers: staying safe when you bank or shop online (web) PDF , 270KB , 10 pages This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Another tip for monitoring activity is to set up alerts so that if your credit card is used, you will receive an email or text message with the transaction details. How To Stay Safe While Shopping Online. The basics of safe online shopping have remained fairly consistent in the past decade-plus, but it’s always a good idea to refresh yourself and ensure that you’re following all the best practices. While the dangers are real, safe shopping online is within everyone’s grasp, but only if you take precautions and shop online safely. These six tips will help you stay safe while online shopping Look for the padlock. Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. Learn how to spot fake reviews. Change passwords routinely. Stay away from online dating and meeting There are many services you can use to pay for purchases – like Google Pay — without giving the merchant your credit card information directly. You never know if your information is being tracked and logged — so it's best to wait until you get home. Digital timestamps on photos are also useful for this, especially if there’s no newspaper handy. Only shop on sites that take secure payment methods, such as credit cards and PayPal, as they likely give you buyer protection just in case there’s a dispute. As a general … Practice Safe Surfing & Shopping. These are some really simple ways to shop safely online you can use every day: Research retailers online to make sure they’re legitimate. But there are still a few things to look out for. When shopping online, or visiting websites for online banking or other sensitive transactions, always make sure that the site’s address starts with “https”, instead of just “http”, and has a padlock icon in the URL field. All rights reserved. For example, the sentence “My dog Eddie has a birthday May 15!” could be used to create a passphrase like “Md3habM15!”. Online Shopping Security – How to Stay Safe Online The only way to make absolutely sure your data is safe online is to stop using the internet. Do Business With Reputable Companies. Did you spot an amazing product from a new seller? Tips to Help You Stay Secure Make sure your computer has appropriate security controls (firewalls, anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and the latest security updates). This is an educational category with over 60 articles. Spyware protection is any program that protects your personal information online from malware. Good recordkeeping goes hand-in-hand with managing your cybersecurity. And, hey, products are shipped right to your door (and with Amazon Key, even dropped inside your door, too). They’re trying to lure you to click a link in the email, which takes you to an authentic-looking website, and fool you into typing in information. Planning to get a head start on your holiday shopping this year? Make sure the website is secure. When shopping online, we recommend sticking with … How to Stay Safe When Shopping Online Here are some tips for buying online that will help you avoid and warn from the above risks when shopping online. Be sure you’re downloading the legitimate app by getting it from the company’s official website or, if downloading from an app store directly, check to see it’s been around for a few years and has high ratings from many users. A strong password is at least seven characters long, has a combination of letters, numbers and symbols, and with some uppercase characters, too. Only shop on sites that take secure payment methods, such as … If you don't know who you're buying from or selling to online, do some research. Stay ahead of online scammers and identity thieves by using these tips to help secure your personal information while shopping online. Also, read the item description carefully before you buy, including where the seller is located, shipping charges, if the product is new or used, refund and return policies, and payment methods accepted. 1 tip about shopping: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. It’s all about data protection, online security, and other tips for staying safe online. It's good to reset your shopping passwords every so often, just in case someone guesses them, or if there’s a data breach at an online retailer. As the hustle and bustle of the holiday season begins to pick up, a number of us will choose to our shopping online. 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