Two of the biggest shopping days of the year – Black Friday and Cyber Monday – will once again generate millions of dollars in revenue. Will you be part of this holiday spending frenzy?
If you answered yes, then you may want to brush up on some safety/security tips before seeking out Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Here’s a rundown of some precautions to take.
Don’t shop over public Wi-Fi. It’s tempting to surf online for deals while sipping a cappuccino in your favorite coffee shop. But chances are the Wi-Fi connection there is unsecured, meaning cyber crooks could easily hack into your personal information like credit card details and bank account information. Remember to only do your online shopping when you’re on a secured Wi-Fi network.
Don’t carry a lot of packages at one time. If you’re heading to your car with your arms wrapped around a bunch of gifts, you’re a perfect target for a grab-and-run thief.
Place gifts in the trunk. Packages that are visible – such as those placed in the back seat of your car – are tempting to crooks if you leave your vehicle unattended, even for 10-15 minutes. It takes less than a minute for a thief to smash a window, reach in, grab and run off with your presents.
Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t shop in areas where parking is under lit or if you’re unfamiliar with the neighborhood.
Don’t leave your wallet, purse, or packages unattended. If you’re out and about on a shopping excursion, you’ll likely be distracted at one point or another. For instance, you’re paying for a gift and you spot a great deal just a few feet away. You step toward the item while leaving your wallet on the checkout counter and – whoosh! – it’s snapped up by a quick-handed and fast-footed bandit.
On a related note, beware of pickpockets and purse snatchers. Keep your wallet and cell phone in your front pockets, and your purse close to your body (not dangling from your shoulder). And if you’re out alone and using a shopping cart, don’t leave it unattended, even for a few seconds.
Confirm that online deals are real. How do you do that? One way is to shop on reputable websites or ones you have dealt with before. If deals are emailed to you from unknown sources, don’t click on any links or open any attachments in the message. These “phishing” emails are designed to lure in unsuspecting victims and prompt them to surrender sensitive information.
Park in high-traffic, well-lit areas. Thieves prefer to work in the dark and in spots where they can’t be easily spotted, so try to avoid parking in those types of areas. And while you’re on your way to your car, have your keys in hand, rather than be fumbling for them in a coat pocket or purse as you’re walking.
Don’t use the same password for all your shopping sites. If you use the same password to access all of your favorite retail websites, and a cyber crook figures it out, you’re letting them open the door to a personal shopping spree. Create a unique password for each site.
Shop on secure websites. You'll know which websites are secure because they’ll have the little lock icon in the website’s URL address bar. When you click on the lock, a message should come up saying your connection is secure. Another tip-off to a secure website is the presence of “https” in the URL (the “s” stands for “secure”). Remember to never enter sensitive or financial information into a webpage that doesn’t have a secure connection.
Make sure your security software is up to date. If you’re using your laptop or desktop computer in search of deals, you can’t afford a lapse in your software security.
Don’t use just any old app. If you’re using a mobile app to conduct your shopping, make sure that the app you’ve downloaded is from a legitimate source.
By keeping security top-of-mind this holiday season, you can help minimize your chances of being ripped off while searching for those Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. But unfortunately, sometimes even the best security preparation can’t protect us from criminals. In those cases, the best thing you can do is be proactive. If your wallet or purse has been stolen, or you’ve fallen victim to a phishing scam, or if you have any other reason to believe that your sensitive personal or financial information has been compromised, you should call your financial institution immediately to help prevent any losses, and keep a close eye on your credit reports to help spot any signs of identity theft.
If you answered yes, then you may want to brush up on some safety/security tips before seeking out Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Here’s a rundown of some precautions to take.
Don’t shop over public Wi-Fi. It’s tempting to surf online for deals while sipping a cappuccino in your favorite coffee shop. But chances are the Wi-Fi connection there is unsecured, meaning cyber crooks could easily hack into your personal information like credit card details and bank account information. Remember to only do your online shopping when you’re on a secured Wi-Fi network.
Don’t carry a lot of packages at one time. If you’re heading to your car with your arms wrapped around a bunch of gifts, you’re a perfect target for a grab-and-run thief.
Place gifts in the trunk. Packages that are visible – such as those placed in the back seat of your car – are tempting to crooks if you leave your vehicle unattended, even for 10-15 minutes. It takes less than a minute for a thief to smash a window, reach in, grab and run off with your presents.
Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t shop in areas where parking is under lit or if you’re unfamiliar with the neighborhood.
Don’t leave your wallet, purse, or packages unattended. If you’re out and about on a shopping excursion, you’ll likely be distracted at one point or another. For instance, you’re paying for a gift and you spot a great deal just a few feet away. You step toward the item while leaving your wallet on the checkout counter and – whoosh! – it’s snapped up by a quick-handed and fast-footed bandit.
On a related note, beware of pickpockets and purse snatchers. Keep your wallet and cell phone in your front pockets, and your purse close to your body (not dangling from your shoulder). And if you’re out alone and using a shopping cart, don’t leave it unattended, even for a few seconds.
Confirm that online deals are real. How do you do that? One way is to shop on reputable websites or ones you have dealt with before. If deals are emailed to you from unknown sources, don’t click on any links or open any attachments in the message. These “phishing” emails are designed to lure in unsuspecting victims and prompt them to surrender sensitive information.
Park in high-traffic, well-lit areas. Thieves prefer to work in the dark and in spots where they can’t be easily spotted, so try to avoid parking in those types of areas. And while you’re on your way to your car, have your keys in hand, rather than be fumbling for them in a coat pocket or purse as you’re walking.
Don’t use the same password for all your shopping sites. If you use the same password to access all of your favorite retail websites, and a cyber crook figures it out, you’re letting them open the door to a personal shopping spree. Create a unique password for each site.
Shop on secure websites. You'll know which websites are secure because they’ll have the little lock icon in the website’s URL address bar. When you click on the lock, a message should come up saying your connection is secure. Another tip-off to a secure website is the presence of “https” in the URL (the “s” stands for “secure”). Remember to never enter sensitive or financial information into a webpage that doesn’t have a secure connection.
Make sure your security software is up to date. If you’re using your laptop or desktop computer in search of deals, you can’t afford a lapse in your software security.
Don’t use just any old app. If you’re using a mobile app to conduct your shopping, make sure that the app you’ve downloaded is from a legitimate source.
By keeping security top-of-mind this holiday season, you can help minimize your chances of being ripped off while searching for those Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. But unfortunately, sometimes even the best security preparation can’t protect us from criminals. In those cases, the best thing you can do is be proactive. If your wallet or purse has been stolen, or you’ve fallen victim to a phishing scam, or if you have any other reason to believe that your sensitive personal or financial information has been compromised, you should call your financial institution immediately to help prevent any losses, and keep a close eye on your credit reports to help spot any signs of identity theft.