11 ways to protect against holiday hackers
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While people are eagerly getting their holiday shopping done online, cybercriminals are looking for ways to shop right along with them. Here are some smart ways you can protect yourself against cyberattacks.
1. Use unique passwords
Use unique passwords for each of your online accounts and change them frequently. If it’s difficult to come up with strong passwords, or to remember them, consider using a password manager tool that can organize, store, protect and even generate your passwords across multiple devices. At the very least, record all passwords in a book and keep it in a safe spot. Those who use the same password for banking, shopping, email, etc. expose themselves to cyber security threats.
2. Check out as guest
When shopping online, avoid creating a saved account on a website and instead check out as a “guest”. If you do open a website account to get the deal/coupon/discount, delete the account ASAP, or do a year end purge and unsubscribe from websites and delete spam emails.
3. Have a shopping email
Have a dedicated email for shopping and other “riskier” behavior so spam does not mix with legitimate communications.
4. Avoid public Wi-Fi
As convenient as public Wi-Fi is, resist the temptation to buy online in a public space unless using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or secured Wi-Fi. While connected via VPN, online transactions are shielded from view by hackers on the Wi-Fi network. A VPN typically requires a subscription & password but is worth the price tag if sharing personal information or making purchases over public Wi-Fi.
5. Pay attention
Shop online with minimal distraction. Lack of attention could mean becoming less vigilant, causing you to click on bogus sites and being less likely to spot suspicious content.
6. Verify the seller
When making a purchase, make sure to vet the reputation of the seller and the authenticity and security of the website. The higher the value, the more time you might want to spend researching. A great way to start is by looking at reviews on sites like the Better Business Bureau, which makes it difficult for people to post phony reviews. Be wary of sites with only positive reviews, or reviews that are actually paid ads.
7. Resist “buy now” ads
Be mindful of online ads that prompt you to “buy now.” Pause and review. Do not fall victim to mindlessly clicking and immediately purchasing because of the urgency and emotion the ad may provoke.
8. Use secure websites
Buy only if the website is secure. Look at the website address in the browser. It should begin with https:// and there should be a padlock icon to the left of the address.
9. Understand your payment options
Use a payment processing tool like PayPal or a credit card – NOT a debit card or online check – to make the purchase. And if you have several credit cards, use the one with the lowest limit. If the website turns out to be fraudulent, or the item isn’t received, the credit card company will investigate and may cancel the charge or limit the cardholder’s liability for it.
10. Check your statements
After the shopping is over, make sure to check your credit card and banking statements. Confirm the purchases and look for unexpected charges. If there is a fraudulent purchase, report it to the credit card company. They will investigate the incident and may issue you a new card depending on the severity of the threat.
11. Consider insurance
Have personal cyber insurance to help you recover should you fall victim to a cyberattack.