Keep your finances safe from sneaky scammers this holiday season.

It seems just couple of years ago, consumers were skeptical about shopping online, but today, shopping online for everything from groceries to televisions has become the norm. But it comes with some risk. The FBI Internet Crime Report shows that cybercriminals were responsible for $4.1 billion in losses in 2020, with Business Email Compromise (BEC) schemes being the costliest for online shoppers. With holiday shopping just around the corner, cybersecurity is — and should be — a top concern for consumers. Here are 10 tips to keep your data safe while shopping securely online:

  • Beware of online deals that seem too good to be true. This is especially important on social media. Many times scammers set up fake shopping sites in order to steal your personal information and your money.
  • Be smart about site security. Check to ensure that the site you’re purchasing from has encryption that guards your information. Look at the URL, which should read HTTPS instead of only HTTP. The “S” at the end indicates the site has secure socket labels. You’ll also see a lock at the left of the URL, which is standard for all secure sites. The Google Chrome browser flags any site that is not secure, with the HTTPS designation, and sends a warning message to the user.

Email Scams Too Good to be True

  • Be wary of email scams offering amazing bargains. And be careful of claims that there’s a problem with delivery, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the sender. Never open attachments or click links that are included in the email unless you can verify the sender is legitimate.
  • Avoid shopping while connected to public Wi-Fi — it’s a sure way for hackers to spy for your online activity and gain access to your personal information. Shopping securely online is hard to do on public Wi-Fi.
  • Whenever possible, buy with a credit card, not a debit card. Most credit cards offer $0 liability for account fraud, while a debit card gives shady sellers direct access to your bank account.
  • Guard your sensitive personal information. No legitimate online retailer will ever ask for your Social Security number. If they do, it’s a major red flag.

Preventing Identity Theft Webinar

Join us for a FREE webinar, Preventing Identity Theft, presented by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Digital Forensics Team. It will be held Thursday, December 9 at 10 a.m. Register for this virtual workshop, and learn how to recognize potential scams, the ploys suspects use to gain personal information, and common-sense steps you can take to protect your identity.

  • Pay close attention to the details of the transaction, such as shipping notices and tracking information. If a retailer refuses to give details about your order, such as a shipping date or order status, chances are you may not receive the merchandise. Report the charge to your credit card company to get your money back.
  • Check your accounts regularly to ensure that all charges are purchases you actually made. If you see a charge you don’t recognize, notify your credit union or credit card company immediately.
  • Choose strong and unique passwords for your online accounts. Never use your or family members’ birthdates, addresses, or other personal information that scammers can easily find online. Combine letters, numbers, and special characters to create complex passwords that are difficult to hack. This is key to shopping securely online.
  • Report suspicious activity or file a scam complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov/. You’ll be helping to keep yourself and fellow citizens safe against present and future scammers.

Get the Latest Information

Want to keep up with the latest security information? Visit our Security and Fraud Prevention page. There you can view the latest articles, search by topic, and sign up for ongoing Stickley on Security emails.

Read more Mid Oregon View articles about security and shopping securely online.