It’s that season again! The holidays are coming, and you know what that means … it’s time to go shopping! As the busy person you are, you will probably shop online. And who can blame you? Online shopping is fast, convenient and perfect to find unbeatable prices, a good choice, a free gift wrap … what not to like?
But watch out. Taking advantage of online shopping can be risky for your personal information and your PC especially during the holidays and days like Black Friday, in which criminals are waiting in the shadows, hoping to steal your personal information…As long as you are aware of the main problems, you can always shop with the knowledge to protect yourself.
Not all websites and online stores are safe and reputable dealers! The truth is that many thieves are smart enough to create compelling and legitimate online sales sites. Be very careful who you buy from! Make sure you know where to shop and read all the details.
A typical phishing tactic targeting online shoppers uses online promotions and sales to trick a consumer into entering personal information that allows them to receive coupons or other merchandise. Although many reputable websites offer coupons or samples, they will never request any amount of personal information to exchange, but most need only a name and an email address.
By taking a few simple actions into account, you can protect your credit, purchases, and personal information when shopping online. These tips will help you to be an informed online shopper.
- Always buy from a secure PC with a good security suite installed, preferably supported by Virtual Private Network such as that from NordVPN. NordVPN provides you with Double Data Encryption, protecting you with the tightest possible security in the industry.
- Try to stick to the pages you know and trust. Think of the websites of Amazon, Overstock and department stores. If you have heard of an “excellent gift” or “special offer” via an email from an unknown address, you should probably avoid it.
- You should use credit cards instead of debit cards. Debit cards offer less liability in case of fraud.
- Check the security seals on all shopping websites, such as Eg VeriSign
- Make sure the connection to the website is https. This does not guarantee security, but in most cases these sites are safe.
So, enjoy online shopping for the holidays. Offer the gift of happiness in this holiday season that you have negotiated.
