There are less than 30 days left in the Holiday Shopping season before Christmas – Are you ready? Or are you joining the millions of people staying in this weekend for the busiest online shopping days of the year?
Whether you’re staying at home to shop from the convenience of your computer or heading out to brave the crush of shoppers at the mall, here are a few tips to keep your identity and your money secure…
Ho Ho, WHOA! Protecting yourself Online
1. Only make purchases from reputable companies, but even if you’re shopping with an online, trusted merchant…
2. Don’t give out ANY of your information just to get something for FREE…
Unless you really know what you’re getting. A recent Senate investigation has revealed that many large, reputable online merchants are engaging in “WebLoyalty” programs that ask only for your email address at checkout. They say they’ll give you a coupon for free movie tickets, $20 off your next order or other giveaways, but when you give them your email address it then authorizes a company to begin charging your credit card a $9-12 monthly fee – often in return for absolutely nothing. The Consumerist details more about this action here.
3. Always read the fine print, but even if you do…
4. Be skeptical. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Stay calm.
Phishers prey on people who overreact immediately – you see a message from a friend – “Hey there – saw you in this embarrassing video – watch it here!” is a scam going around Facebook and Twitter for a few months now. When you click the link, it makes it look like you need to log in again to see the video, but OOOPS – you just gave away your username and password to the crooks, just like your friend did before you. Don’t fall for it.
6. DO NOT give your financial info out via phone or email to people who ask for it.
Reputable companies that call YOU will only ask for the last 4 digits of your credit card or social security number – not the whole thing. You can be reasonably sure you’re talking to the right person ONLY if YOU contact THEM using a number from a statement or the back of your card.
7. Keep your travel plans private.
Tweeting that you’re going out of town for a few days is advertising that your house will be empty. Now, it’s not a likely scenario, but… you get the picture.
8. Secure your software with the latest updates.
Making sure you’re using the latest version of your browser and operating system with all security updates installed is one of the best ways to secure your data. Otherwise, you may be opening yourself up to Trojans and other security risks. I know this is a hard one for some people to swallow, but the extra expense is worth it to protect your identity and your money when making sensitive transactions online.
9. Don’t open email attachments you don’t know.
Notice I didn’t say “don’t open email attachments FROM PEOPLE you don’t know”. Sometimes your friend may have been infected with a virus and they sent you a copy of it. Executable files – zipped or not – in particular are bad, but just to be safe, if you don’t know what it is and wasn’t expecting it, don’t open it, no matter who it came from.
10. Be wary when purchasing Gift Cards.
Buy them straight from the merchant, otherwise verify your source before making a transaction. Scammers can sell you a worthless piece of plastic if you’re not careful.
BONUS TIPS
11. Save your receipts and look over your credit card bills and bank statements during and after a big spending spree.
Most companies will let you check your statement online, and if you sign up for a service like Mint.com, you can check your purchases as they’re authorized on your account, and it will even alert you if there’s any out-of-the-ordinary spending going on.
Shopping in the Real World
And some tips for those brave enough to venture out into the stores at this time of year –
1. Be aware of your surroundings, and the people surrounding you at all times.
Watch out for people that stand over your shoulder at the ATM machine, and don’t let yourself get distracted by the kids, or if you think they might distract you –
2. Pack light.
Bring only a small wallet and put it in your front pocket instead of bringing your entire purse to the store or mall. Carabiners and pants with belt loops are awesome for carrying a set of keys when you’re on-the-run.
Do you have any tips to add? Let us know by commenting below!