Scammers To Exploit Supply Chain Issues, Tips For Safe Holiday Online Shopping – Information From NortonLifeLock

The holiday countdown is underway, and if your readers are like most shoppers, they probably plan to shop online during the 2021 season of giving. Unfortunately, this is also the season when online scammers shop for victims. This year we’re expecting supply chain issues to cause shortages in hot ticket presents, making it an ideal year for scammers.

The good news is that there are steps to take to keep shopping funds and personal information safe from these seasonal opportunists while holiday shopping online. Foil online scammers and identity thieves by using these tips to help stay safe before, during, and after shopping online thisseason.

Where to do your online holiday shopping

Shoppingonline means you never have to get stuck in traffic on the way to the mall,wait in long lines, or listen to "It's the Most Wonderful Time of theYear" dozens of times, unless you really want to.

Butshopping IRL — in real life — offers one big advantage: You know the businessand inventory exist. On the web, some scammers create fake online stores justtogetyour credit card numberor other personal information.

Toplay it safe, consider doing online business only with retailers you trust andhave shopped with before. Or at least confirm the business is legit by looking at sites likeTrustPilot.com,and skimming a few customer reviews.

Don’tfall for scam holiday shopping ads or messages

Scammers know a "special offer," often delivered by aphishingemail, can stir holiday consumer cravings. So avoid clicking on linksin messages or in ads that tout seasonal deals. This could infect your computerwith malware or take you to a fake shopping site. Delete the emails, navigateaway from the ads, and stick with sellers you know.

Watchout for "too good to be true" deals

Black FridayandCyber Mondaydeals havebecome a tradition of holiday shopping. But if a website offers a deal thatseems too good to be true, then it probably is. Compare prices and pictures ofthe merchandise at similar websites. Rock-bottom prices could be a red flagthat the business is fake or otherwise shady — for example, sellingcounterfeit, stolen, or expired goods. Keep in mind that supply-chain problemsin 2021 could make fraudulent “hot deals” especially tempting, because somepopular items will be in short supply.

Shopsecure sites only

Before you buy, look for the little lock icon in the corner ofyour URL bar tells you that the web page you’re on has privacy protection. TheURL of a secure site will start with “https.” These websites mask any data youshare, typically on pages that ask for passwords or financial information.

Shoppingon your phone? Use only official retailer apps.

Using onlyofficial retailer apps can help you to avoidsketchyshopping appslaced with malicious software, or malware. Criminals use theseapps to infiltrate smartphones to install malware or commit fraud. Help protectyourself by getting retailer apps only from reputable stores such as GalaxyApps, the App Store, Amazon App Store and Google Play. And hunt for deals andsales on your own rather than relying on a deals app or shopping app.

Watchout for fake delivery scams

During the holiday season, some scammers use a "fake delivery scam" to tryto steal your private information. They'll send a message, typically an emailor text, telling you that there's an issue with delivery for an item youordered. The message may even look like it's coming from NZ Post or DHL. Becauseit's the holiday season, they're betting that most people will have orderedsomething recently and will click on a link and possibly even provide theircredit card number to "fix a problem" that doesn't exist.

Nevermake purchases on public Wi-Fi

You might be tempted to take your shopping spree to a coffee shopwhere you can sip on a flat white while you browse products. But with alittle tech know-how, the person sitting a few tables away can easily interceptthe data you send and receive. Shopping online usually means giving outinformation that an identity thief would love to grab, including your name,address, and credit card information. Bottom line: It’s never a good idea to doyour holiday shopping onpublic Wi-Fi.

Shopwith the extra security of a VPN

But maybe you're heading to the beach, visiting family or taking a holidayvacation and you need to use airport or another public Wi-Fi location. For thesescenarios, consider installing and using a VPN — a virtualprivate network — on your devices. A VPN creates an encrypted connection like a"tunnel" between your device and theVPNserver to protect theinformation as it travels from you to the merchant.

Usestrong passwords and a password manager

If a cybercriminal gets hold of the password to one of youraccounts, they could log in and order items with your stored credit card information.Keep your account safer with a strong password – “Santa123” won’t do the trick.Use a reputablepasswordmanager that will generate, store and autofill secure passwords for allyour accounts.

Pay with acredit card

Attention, holiday shoppers: A credit card may be the safestpayment tool for shopping online. First, unlike with a debit card, a thief whogets hold of your credit card number doesn't have direct access to your actualmoney. And if a thief racks up unauthorized charges on your credit card,your liability is likely limited, and mostmajor credit cards offer $0 liability for fraudulent purchases. However, youneed to spot the fraud and report it in a timely way.

Don’t save your credit card information on your accounts

While it may be convenient to store personal and paymentinformation in your online accounts, it can be risky as well. In fact, keepingyour credit card information on a retailer's website could leave you vulnerableto future data breaches. And if a hacker accesses your favourite shoppingaccount, they could make purchases with your card.

Considerusing Apple Pay or Google Pay for a second layer of protection

Credit card fraud is a serious problem, but using a digital walletor app, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or others can increase yourtransaction security. The digital wallet obscures your payment card informationfrom the merchant. If a store employee or a hacker tries to get their hands onthe store’s payment information, they won’t be able to see your credit card orbank details.

Knowing you're doing all you can to practice safe holidayonline shopping can help you to relax and enjoy the season just a little bitmore.

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