Safe Online Holiday Shopping in 5 Steps

As the holiday season arrives, millions of people will be doing their holiday shopping online. While online buying can be convenient and cost effective, it’s important to take precautions before making a purchase.

Here are five (5) tips for keeping your online holiday shopping safe and secure. 

1. Shop on secure websites

Before purchasing something online, check the website’s address to see if it begins with https rather than http. The “s” stands for secure and indicates that the site is encrypted and protected. 

2. Use a secure internet connection

You should only connect to a website through a secure connection, such as your home Internet Provider or one provided by a VPN service. Also, avoid public Wi-Fi connections. Cybercriminals can intercept data sent over these open connections, including credit card details. 

3. Create strong and unique passwords or passphrases

Strong passphrases should be at least 14 characters, including a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, along with numbers and symbols. 

4. Be careful when using shopping applications

Only download shopping apps from a reliable source like the Apple App Store or Google Play, and pay close attention to the permissions that the app uses. Reading the comments and reviews also will allow you to identify suspicious activity.

5. Watch our for scams and red flag signs

Only download shopping apps from a reliable source like the Apple App Store or Google Play, and pay close attention to the permissions that the app uses. Reading the comments and reviews also will allow you to identify suspicious activity.