Don’t fall into a cyber criminal’s trap this holiday season.
In recent years, shopping online has become a regular activity for many people. However, it’s important to remember that this practice does carry some risk. This is especially true during the holiday season when criminals become more aggressive in their attempts to access your financial and other personal information. In order to protect yourself as you do your holiday shopping online, take these precautions.
- Stick to Familiar Sites and Retailers
Now is not the time to try out a retailer that you’ve never heard of before. This is because some cyber criminals actually create fake websites in an attempt to steal your financial information. Additionally, smaller online retailers tend to have fewer security measures in place. So, while the company may be legitimate, they have a greater risk of being hacked, and you have a greater chance of having your personal information compromised. This holiday season, it’s better to err on the side of caution. If you are going to shop online, stick to familiar, big-name retailers that you know and trust.
- Shop Using Pre-Paid Gift Cards
When shopping online, use your credit and debit card as little as possible. Should a hacker break into your online accounts, they would gain unlimited access to your finances. This is why you should limit your exposure by shopping with pre-paid gift cards. While a hacker would get access to the remaining balance of your cards, this is far preferable to them gaining free reign of your credit or debit card.
- Don’t Shop on Public Wi-Fi Networks
Finally, avoid shopping online while you are connected to public Wi-Fi networks. This is because public Wi-Fi does not have very many security measures in place. This makes it very easy for others connected to the same network to gain access to your personal devices. To ensure your cyber security, make sure you save your shopping for when you are connected to your own private Wi-Fi network.
These are some of the safety tips that you should remember while shopping online. Want another way to stay safe this holiday season? Make sure you have the right personal insurance protection in place. For assistance with all your coverage needs, contact us at ISU-Wissink Insurance. We are ready to get you covered today.