During the holiday shopping season approaching, remember online criminals are very active this time of year. Before you participate in Black Friday deals, Cyber Monday specials, or other online holiday shopping, review the Do’s and Don’ts recommended by cybersecurity experts:
- Be cautious with emails, texts, and links offering coupons, shipping updates, and order details. Expect to receive phony UPS, Amazon, and USPS messages from scammers, often involving fake shipping problems.
- Verify you are visiting legitimate websites with the exact address you know to be true: ex. amazon.com, bestbuy.com.
- Use payment methods that are more secure online, like credit cards or PayPal.
- Think critically about why you’re getting an email. Do you even know the store or vendor offering the deal? If you’re not sure, think twice before proceeding.
- Don’t trust offers that seem too good to be true. Pop-up ads or emails offering free gift cards or incredible savings are often just a ploy to get your personal information that can later be used for identity theft.
- Don’t assume all links in emails are safe. If you’re not sure if an email is authentic, open a browser and type in the address of the store’s website.
- Don’t assume that if it looks like a legitimate website, it is a legitimate website. It’s easy for scammers to copy logos, fonts, and formatting of websites. Check the website URL to verify it’s an official website such as amazon.com or bestbuy.com.
- Don’t use debit cards or wire transfers for online payment, these typically don’t have fraud protection.
- Don’t act quickly when making an online purchase. Better to be cautious, than to be scammed!