It’s that time of year again – food, fun, parties and online shopping. While taking advantage of all the online specials, free shipping and last-minute deals this holiday season, use these tips from the Office of Information Security to help minimize your risk of becoming a cyber victim:
- Be cautious of the devices you use to shop online. Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, make shopping convenient from any location, but frequently lack the security precautions of a regular computer. If you use a mobile device to shop, make sure you are taking all the precautions listed below.
- Do not use public computers or public wireless for your online shopping. These networks may contain malicious software that steals your information when you place your order, which can lead to identity theft.
- Secure your computer and mobile devices. Be sure to keep the operating system, software and/or apps updated/patched on all of your computers and mobile devices. Use up-to-date antivirus protection and make sure it is receiving updates.
- Use strong passwords. This is one of the simplest and most important steps to take in securing your devices, computers and online accounts. Always use more than ten characters, with numbers, special characters and upper and lower case letters. Use a unique password for every unique site.
- Know your online shopping merchants. Online retailers can create the illusion of being a legitimate business by having a Web site and posting fabricated customer reviews. Limit your online shopping to known and trusted merchants, and do not create an online account with questionable retailers. If you have questions about a retailer, check with the Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission. Confirm the online seller’s physical address, where available, and phone number in the event you have questions or problems. Contact the seller or the site operator directly with issues, or your state’s Attorney General’s Office or Consumer Protection Agency if you do not get resolution.
- Pay online with one credit card. Debit cards do not have the same consumer protections as credit cards. Credit cards are protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act and may limit your liability if your information was used improperly. By using one credit card, with a lower balance for all your online shopping, you also limit the potential for financial fraud to affect all of your accounts. Always check your statements regularly and carefully.
- Look for “https” when making an online purchase. The “s” in “https” stands for “secure” and indicates that communication with the webpage is encrypted. This helps to ensure your information is transmitted safely to the merchant and no one can spy on it.
- Do not respond to pop-up ads. When a window pops up promising you cash or gift cards for answering a question or taking a survey, close it by pressing Control + F4 for Windows and Command + W for Macs.
- Be careful opening emails, attachments, and clicking on links. Be cautious about all emails you receive, even those from your favorite retailers. The emails could be spoofed and contain malware.
- Do not auto-save your personal information. When purchasing online, you may be given the option to save your personal information online for future use. The convenience of not having to reenter the information is insignificant compared to the significant amount of time you’ll spend trying to repair the loss of your stolen personal information.
- Use common sense to avoid scams. Don’t give out your personal or financial information via email or text. Information on many current scams can be found on the website of the Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Federal Trade Commission.
- Review privacy policies. Review the privacy policy for the website/merchant you are visiting. Know what information the merchant is collecting about you, how it will be stored, how it will be used, and if it will be shared with others.
Resources provided by the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center newsletter.
