5 Easy-to-Digest Security Tips for Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday is one of the most popular shopping days, competing each year with Black Friday when it comes to scoring holiday deals. While online shopping continues to grow in popularity, it also opens the door even wider for those looking to take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers. Help make your online shopping safe this Cyber Monday by following the few simple tips listed below.

1. Watch Out for Questionable Sites

It is surprisingly easy to clone a website which is a common trick by scam artists looking to steal payment information. They may copy a well-known site to attract buyers, who are left with poorly crafted knockoffs of the brand they expected or no product at all. Watch for misspellings, pixelated images, and incomplete contact information. These are often giveaways for suspicious sites.

2. Beware of Phishing Scams

Popup ads and emails are often used by cybercriminals to get personal and financial information. They often involve emails or ads that look like they come from a legitimate retailer. Once you click the link, they may steal your login or payment information. Instead of clicking the link, go directly to the vendor’s secure site to log in.

3. Shop With Credit Cards

Using credit cards may provide you with added protection when shopping online. Many card companies have a “zero liability” policy which may allow you to dispute any fraudulent charges and not have to pay for them. Debit cards may provide the scammer with direct access to your bank account, which may make money more difficult to recover.

4. Make Sure Your Security Software Is Updated

Checking to make sure that your computer’s security software is up to date may be a good idea before starting your cyber shopping. Viruses and tracking software are constantly evolving, which makes staying on top of updates even more important.

5. Only Shop Secure Sites

Before entering any payment information, make sure that the site you are on is secure. If you hover your cursor along the URL bar, you may see either HTTP, HTTPS, or SHTTP. The S in the latter two indicates that the website has an updated security certificate. If you don’t see that in the URL, you may not want to enter your payment information.

Try to keep your Cyber Monday shopping experience fraud-free by following the few simple tips listed above.

LPL Tracking # 1-05183817

Sources:

Top 10 Online Shopping Security Tips for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Stealth Labs, https://www.stealthlabs.com/blog/top-10-cyber-security-tips-for-black-friday-and-cyber-monday/

Keep Yourself Safe Shopping This Cyber Monday With These Quick Security Tips, Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajdellinger/2019/11/30/keep-yourself-safe-shopping-this-cyber-monday-with-these-quick-security-tips/?sh=4298ad0d67d2