5 Tips for Staying Safe While Online Holiday Shopping
The holiday shopping season is in full swing and Santa Claus will be here soon. If you haven’t started shopping yet, now is the time to do it.
give gifts Shipping deadline is approaching, but don’t panic. Security experts say you need to think twice before pulling out your credit card because scammers and other online cheapskates want to take advantage of your haste and lure you into fake transactions and other shopping-related scams.
Darius Kingsley, head of consumer banking at Chase, said a huge increase in online shopping, coupled with countless busy and distracted shoppers, makes this time of year such a good time for scammers Tempting.
“Many of us are on guard, at least to some extent, year-round,” Kingsley said. “Then you get to the end of November and you’re just starting your holiday shopping, so the panic sets in. It’s all these typical emotions, but it does cloud your judgment a little bit.”
Online holiday sales are expected to hit records this year. Adobe Project U.S. online sales are expected to reach $240.8 billion this holiday shopping season, an increase of 8.4% over the same period last year.
They got off to a great start over the holiday weekend. Adobe said online sales this year during Cyber Week (the five-day period that includes Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday) reached $41.1 billion, an increase of 8.2% over the same period last year.
Like some shoppers, many scammers are starting their holiday season early this year. In its holiday threat report released in November, Visa noted that its researchers had discovered nearly three times the number of fake and deceptive merchant websites in the past four months than in the previous four months.
James Mirfin, the company’s senior vice president and global head of risk and identity solutions, said Visa has also seen an increase in other types of malicious activity, including phishing and social engineering scams, as well as scams related to holiday travel and seasonal work.
At the same time, generative AI tools make it faster and easier for cybercriminals to craft custom scams, letting them spoof voices and create deepfake videos to make their scams more convincing, he said. And, needless to say, gone are the days of poorly written phishing emails that would make even the most tech-savvy consumer suspicious.
“These things are starting to look and feel more like they’re coming from your bank or someone you trust,” Milfin said.
ZeroFox CTO Mike Price also pointed to the rise of tools like ChatGPT and other large language models as the latest game-changer in the field of online fraud. He noted that in addition to deepfake voices and videos, these tools allow criminals to create virtually any photorealistic image you can imagine by simply entering a text prompt.
“It’s only been in the last few years that this has really been possible, and it’s only really matured this year,” Price said. “These platforms have come a long way in the last few months.”
This may seem daunting. But some basic precautions will help you stay safe from the Krampus of the online world. Here are some expert tips on how to shop safely during the holidays.
Check your list (and credit card and bank statements) more than twice
Keep an eye on your bank and credit card accounts. This is not only good for security, but also for tracking your spending.
Milfin said shoppers should set purchase reminders on their accounts and keep an eye on their bills, especially at this time of year.
You can simplify this task by limiting your holiday shopping to a single credit card and email address. Doing so will also reduce the risk of falling for a phishing scam if someone accesses your other email accounts.
If you notice anything unusual, log into your account directly through your bank’s app or website, or call the number on the back of your card. Don’t click on links in emails.
Do not pay for your purchase using cryptocurrency. By design, cryptocurrencies are anonymous and extremely difficult to trace. If someone stole it, it would probably be gone.
Retail payment request gift card It should also be viewed with skepticism. They are also untraceable and can be easily converted into cash or merchandise by cybercriminals.
Don’t become a feast for phishers
Spam and scam emails, text messages, and other types of messages appear year-round, but they tend to pile up this time of year. They might look like a fraud alert from your bank, or a great deal on a must-have item.
The risk is that shoppers could click on a link in a malicious email that takes them to a fake website that then collects their personal or financial information, putting them at risk of financial fraud or identity theft.
ZeroFox’s Price said major email providers do their best to stop scam emails from getting into your inbox, but some inevitably get past their defenses. It doesn’t stop people from clicking on content they know is legal.
Scott Knapp, Amazon’s vice president of global buyer risk prevention, said there has been an increase this year in fake order scams, in which consumers receive a text message or email claiming they are purchasing something that is not actually available. High-priced items purchased. . Some are claiming there are delivery issues, while others are now touting fake “private” Amazon Prime deals.
When it comes to potentially scam emails mentioning Amazon, Knapp said the best thing people can do is return to the company’s website or app. If there’s a problem with your order, or the company needs to contact you, that information will appear in your message center.
Read more: Best Identity Theft Protection Services of 2024
Is that Santa Claus? Or just the Grinch in disguise?
Of course, if the major retailers don’t have what you want in stock, you can google it, but make sure you’re dealing with a legitimate business. Be especially skeptical of ads that pop up on social media promoting amazing limited-time offers.
When in doubt about the authenticity of any offer, message or retailer, the advice is the same.
“Customers need to be skeptical,” Knapp said. “It’s the old adage, ‘If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.’ Stay away from it.”
It’s almost always better to shop on a reputable retailer’s website, but if you’re going to do business with a website that looks like a discount site or even a small business, you’ll want to vet it first. Look for reviews online and check for complaints from organizations like the Better Business Bureau, Price said.
Even if you do your homework, you need to be prepared in case a scammer takes your money, he said. If you’re not happy with that, you’re better off paying a little more elsewhere.
Be picky when buying gift cards
Some people have a really hard time shopping, especially if you’re pressed for time, which might tempt you to just buy them a gift card. But experts say cybercriminals also want to cash out the cards before the recipients have a chance to use them.
Chase’s Kingsley advises that while digital gift cards are ideal, never buy them from a third-party website, even if it offers a deep discount. There is no guarantee they will actually arrive. Even if they do appear in the mail, they may have expired or been used.
While it’s true that they can be difficult to wrap and put under the tree, it’s best to purchase digital gift cards directly from the company that issued them or from a major retailer. If you do want a physical card, look for it in a well-packaged package, preferably behind a store counter.
Elf on the Shelf Might Not Be the Only One Watching
If you want to block access to the Cyber Grinch, you must take basic cybersecurity precautions year-round.
Before you start shopping, make sure your device and online accounts (bank and credit cards, email, social media, shopping site logins, etc.) are locked. Update your operating system, Antivirus software software and all your applications.
Required for all your online accounts Strong, unique passwords. If you need help, please use Password manager. master key Becoming more available can also make things easier. Two-factor authenticationwhich requires a second identifier such as biometrics or push notifications sent to your phone, should always be enabled when available.
If you’re concerned about the security of your local store’s free internet, consider signing up virtual private network. Good ones both mask your location and encrypt the data you send and receive over Wi-Fi.
You can also just use a cellular connection on your smartphone. It’s much more secure than any Wi-Fi connection.
