10/11/2022
🔴Tech Tip: Avoid Identity Theft This Holiday Season
Unfortunately, e-commerce fraud is on the rise, but there are ways to protect yourself. Here are some tips for avoiding identity theft when shopping online.
1. 🛒Only shop from reputable companies that have an established business history. AND watch out for fake sites that mimic popular sites or fake warnings asking you to log into your account to update information.
2.🔒 Make sure the URL is secure!- Every URL should start with “https://” instead of a simple “http://” prefix. You also know its secure if you see a green button or padlock icon near the address bar.
3. 🙅🏾♂️Don’t shop on Public Wifi- Entering or transmitting your payment information in that scenario may be like handing it directly to the thief, so stay safe and only shop when you are at home or on a secured network at your workplace.
4. 💳If possible, only shop online with a credit card, NOT a debit card !- Credit cards usually have stronger fraud protections than debit or checking accounts, and most major issuers have aggressive fraud monitoring that will alert you when a suspicious transaction has occurred.
5. 👩🏼💻Don’t save your login and payment information on your computer- It might be convenient, but if your device is hacked or lost, thieves could immediately have complete access to your financial life. This may even extend to your personal email, which may allow hackers to bypass security measures like multifactor authentication.
*️⃣ With these smart online habits and payment practices, you can keep yourself safe from identity theft when shopping online. Just remember to: Be Careful. Be Strategic. Be Smart.