12 Tips for Cyber Monday Safety

online_shoppingBlack Friday has come and gone. Shoppers continue to search high and low for great deals, and online retailers are gearing up for what hopes to be a record breaking sales season. There is a strong possibility that you will receive opinions and offers from your Facebook friends or pages that you have “liked.”

So, as you take a small break from Facebook or other social networks to do a little online shopping, use some common sense safety precautions to help ensure you keep yourself and your wallet safe.

  1. Update your antivirus software and run a complete scan of your system.
  2. Update your web browser to the latest edition – newer browsers have better security features.
  3. If your financial institution passwords are weak, change them to a more secure one.
  4. If available from your financial institution, use one time use credit card numbers, an additional PIN number or other improved security controls.
  5. Only shop at reputable online retailers. Avoid smaller, lesser known sites unless you are sure of their reputation.
  6. Only shop at ssl encrypted sites. These sites will have “https” in the address and should have the “lock” icon somewhere in the browser window.
  7. Don’t click on links or “special” offers in email messages. Go directly to web sites to verify the deals being offered.
  8. Do not enter credit card information on public wifi networks or on public computers.
  9. Shop with a credit card instead of a debit card. You have better dispute rights if you don’t receive an item, and many credit cards have zero liability policies for fraudulent purchases.
  10. Be aware of return policies before completing your order, and keep good documentation of any completed transactions.
  11. Read the privacy policy of any website you are shopping at before completing the transaction. Protecting your personal information can save you a lot of headaches in the future.
  12. Exercise sound judgment and good common sense. If a deal sounds too good to be true, then it usually is.

If you have any tips to help online shoppers stay safe, leave them in the comments area below.

 

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