The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, especially for scammers. Consumers are typically spending more, doing it quickly, and not paying as much attention to who they’re buying it from because of the rush. If you’re planning to skip in-store holiday shopping, it’s important to be on the lookout for the online scams that will undoubtedly show up in people’s e-mail, texts, and social media feeds.
Here are eight ways you can make your holiday season safer:
1. Don’t click that link…
According to a Better Business Bureau survey, e-mail wasn’t the most common way scammers pilfered people’s pockets, but it does still happen. According to the BBB survey, only 2% of all consumers reporting fraud were targeted through e-mail. Still, it’s important to be wary. Scammers who use “phishing” e-mails (it looks like it’s from a brand you know, but it’s not) will include a link to a fake website where they’ll ask for your banking or other personal information.
2. …and don’t open that attachment.
Legitimate retailers are never going to make you dig for the deals, so they aren’t going to put the good stuff in an attachment. It’s not just attachments from retailers, but also from shipping companies or financial institutions. Instead of clicking on a link or an attachment, you’re safer to visit the company website directly or give them a call.
3. Beware the skimmers.
Skimmers aren’t just physical attachments to credit card readers at ATMs and gas pumps anymore. Cyber thieves have found ways to use the digital equivalent, installing code on retail websites that let them gather your payment card information as you pay for your goods or services.
Using a third-party financial institution like PayPal, Zelle or Venmo to pay for online purchases can help to keep your payment card information safe. You can also consider using a digital credit card that routinely cycles your credit card number so scammers can’t actually use it for other purchases. If you’re using a traditional credit card, sign up for transaction alerts.
4. You are using a credit card, yes?
Always use a credit card and not a debit card. Credit cards come with consumer protections that limit your liability if your card information is stolen. If a thief gets their hands on your debit card, they could make fraudulent charges that you will be responsible for. Remember, your debit card is a direct line to your cash on hand. Credit cards offer more protections, and less disruption, for victims of fraud.
5. Keep a close eye on your accounts.
This is important all year long, particularly around the holidays when you’re making more transactions and fraudulent charges may be harder to spot. So, either check your bank and credit card accounts daily or sign up for free transaction monitoring programs which notify you whenever there is activity in your bank, credit union or credit card accounts.
6. Be wary of “free” offers.
Especially around the holidays, cyber thieves will often use scams offering free gift cards for completing surveys. If you receive one of these offers in an e-mail or by text, it’s best to do a quick Google search to see if it’s legit. If it is, you should be able to access the survey tool directly from your internet browser rather than clicking on a link you aren’t familiar with.
7. Do your online shopping at home on a secure network
Public Wi-Fi networks are not secure and can expose you to malware and hackers. That’s why accessing your bank or credit card accounts, or even making purchases on websites, can be very risky. It’s best to do your banking and shopping at home, but if you have to use public Wi-Fi, consider using a VPN (virtual private network) that encrypts your activity.
8. Change your passwords.
If you’re using the same password across a number of accounts, you are more vulnerable to cyber criminals. This is especially risky if you’re using the same password for your credit card and banking accounts. If a criminal gets hold of your daisy-chained credentials, you could wind up with an empty bank account come Christmas morning.
If managing multiple passwords is an issue for you, consider using a password manager that generates unique passwords for your accounts and remembers them for you.
Bottom line…don’t let cyber criminals make you the gift that keeps on giving this holiday season. The simple, everyday security measures listed here should help you keep your financial accounts safe from hackers.
