Now that holiday shopping is in full swing, below are a few online shopping trends with tips about how to stay safe online while buying gifts for everyone on your list.
Generally, experts seem to believe that the average American is going to spend less this year – though pandemic restrictions have largely lifted, we've entered a new season of economic uncertainty. This means every dollar is even more important, which is why we want to help you protect your hard-earned cash from the scammers and hackers that popup every year. It's like they don't care about the naughty list!
Here is what we think is cheerful and what we think is coal-worthy for shopping online this holiday season:
Merry and Bright
Keeping an eye on your bank statements
Your first line of defense against identity theft and fraud is to pay close attention to your financial records, like bank statements and credit card transactions. You can usually follow this data up-to-the-minute online. Flag any suspicious activity (like being charged for a purchase you didn't make) and contact the institution immediately.
Knowing how much items should cost
When shopping online, have a general sense of how much the items you want to buy should cost. Not only will that make you a comparison shopping extraordinaire, but you can also get a sense if an online store has prices that are too good to be true. In these cases, you might pay less, but then you might get an item that doesn't match the description, is a counterfeit, or you might pay and not get any item at all! A little bit of research can help protect you.
Making a cybersecurity list, checking it twice
This year, give yourself the gift of peace of mind by following core behaviors:
- Protect each account with a unique, complex password that is at least 12 characters long –and use a password manager!
- Use multifactor authentication (MFA) for any account that allows it.
- Turn on automatic software updates or install updates as soon as they are available.
- Know how to identify phishing attempts and report phishing to your email provider or work.
More tips
Buying Internet-connected gifts infographic
LaScala can help your business stay safe online. Contact us today at sales@lascala.com to get started reducing your company risk of a cybersecurity attack.
Source
1 – National Cybersecurity Alliance: https://staysafeonline.org/
