Posts

12 Tips to Safe Shopping Online

/in /by

These days, shopping online isn’t a risky, crazy or scary task, but with all of the cyber criminals out and about, you might want to think twice before clicking “submit payment.”

If you are going to be shopping online, there are some things that you can do to keep yourself safe. Here are some tips:

Tips for Avoiding Online Shopping Scams

  1. Think about this; if you were a cybercriminal, how would you lure a victim? You might put an ad on social media, for instance, sharing an amazing deal. If you see a deal that looks too good to be true, it probably is.
  2. What if you want to look at the deal? It doesn’t hurt to look, right? Wrong. Sometimes even clicking on the ad can download a virus onto your computer.
  3. Back up your computer regularly, especially before you start shopping online.
  4. You can be protected if you use security software like firewall software, antivirus software, antispyware, and antiphishing, even if you go to a malicious site.
  5. Don’t use a debit card if you can help it. If you pay with a debit card and a scammer takes your money, you might never get it back.
  6. It’s much safer to use a credit card. If you pay with a credit card, you can dispute the charge, and the credit card company will work with you and reverse the charges.
  7. Also, if you use a credit card, contact the company to find out if they have a “one-time use number” for the card. This way, if you do make a purchase to the scammer, they can’t use that number again.
  8. If you are shopping for common, everyday items, only buy them from reputable, big-name retailers. All of the URLs should have a padlock symbol next to them, and they should say “https” not “http.”
  9. If you are buying from a merchant you are not familiar with, familiarize yourself with the site’s reputation. Do some research to find out if anyone has had issues with the site in the past.
  10. Take a look at the merchant’s privacy policy and see what the limits are.
  11. Keep in mind that a merchant doesn’t need any more information than your name/address, credit card info, and shipping info. If they ask for other information, like a birthday or Social Security number, do not give it. It is probably a scam. Do not give retailers like this any information about you.
  12. Don’t shop online when you are connected to public Wi-Fi. If you don’t have a choice, you can use a VPN, virtual private network, to make sure all of your information is encrypted.

Consider identity theft protection as an additional layer to protect your identity from various scams. No one is immune from fraud or all scams, but identity theft protection services are there to watch your back and assist in case something goes wrong.

Online shopping should be a very worry-free process, but there are some things you can do, as listed above, to reduce your risk of danger. By making these practices a habit, you can stay safe now and in the future.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity and Personal Protection security awareness training program.

Marketers (and Criminals) Buzz About Mobile Tuesday

/in /by

Fresh off the most successful Cyber Monday, which turned into a Cyber Week or even a Cyber Month, spanning from mid-November into December, marketers and advertisers are now positioning themselves for a 2012 Mobile Tuesday.

Forbes reports, “Consumers are going mobile in large numbers, and the 2011 holiday season proved it. IBM Coremetrics recently reported that consumers increased shopping on smartphones and tablets on Black Friday. Purchases made on mobile devices accounted for 9.8% of online sales, which is up 3.2% from last year. GSI announced a 254% increase in US mobile sales on Black Friday. PayPal Mobile announced a 516% increase in global mobile payment volume over last year, and eBay Mobile reported US purchases were nearly two and a half times what they were last year.”

Criminals are paying attention.

The National Cyber Security Alliance and McAfee released a study showing that in the last six months, 50% of Americans have used smartphones to research potential purchases, 27% have used them to shop, 12% have used them to shop at auction websites, specifically, and 18% have used their phones to make online payments.

To stay safe while mobile shopping this holiday season:

1. Keep mobile security software current. The latest security software, web browser, and operating system are the best defenses against viruses, malware, and other online threats.

2. Automate software updates. Many software programs can update automatically to defend against known risks. If this is an available option, be sure to turn it on.

Retailers should be aware that criminals aren’t just using desktops to commit fraud, but are also making purchases with stolen credit card information via mobiles and tablets. They should adopt security technology that actually recognizes and analyzes the PCs, smartphones, and tablets being used to access their websites. Once a device has been identified, its reputation can be assessed in real-time to determine the risk of fraud. Is the device exhibiting suspicious behavior, or it already known to have been used for fraud, money laundering, or account takeovers?

Examining a device’s reputation allows businesses to know which online transactions are trustworthy beforehand, rather than waiting until fraud has already occurred.

Robert Siciliano, personal security and identity theft expert contributor to iovation, discusses Mobile Security on Cyber Monday on Fox Washington. Disclosures