The following tips have been taken from the Stay Safe Online group, which is dedicated to helping us all stay safe when using the Internet.
We thought they were very good tips to also keep in mind as you get back into the swing of things after the holiday break.
Think before you click
Beware of emails, texts or other promotions that seem “off” or encourage you to urgently click on links. If you receive an enticing offer, do not click on the link. Instead, go directly to the company’s website to verify the offer is legitimate. If you can’t find it on their website, report the scam to your email provider as a phishing attempt. Remember: if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
Do your homework
Fraudsters are fond of setting up fake e-commerce sites. Prior to making a purchase, read reviews to hear what others say about the merchant. Check trusted sources, like the Better Business Bureau, as well.
In addition, look for a physical location and any customer service information. It’s also a good idea to call the merchant to confirm that they are legitimate.
Consider your payment options
Using a credit card is much better than using a debit card; there are more consumer protections for credit cards if something goes awry. Or, you can use a third party payment service instead of your credit card. There are many services you can use to pay for purchases – like Google Pay – without giving the merchant your credit card information directly.
Watch what you give away
Be alert to the kinds of information being collected to complete your transaction. If the merchant is requesting more data than you feel comfortable sharing, cancel the transaction.
You only need to fill out required fields at checkout and you should not save your payment information in your profile. If the account autosaves it, go in and delete the stored payment details after the purchase.
Keep tabs on your bank and credit card statements
Be sure to continuously check your accounts for any unauthorized activity. Good recordkeeping goes hand-in-hand with managing your cybersecurity.
Another tip for monitoring activity is to set up alerts so that if your credit card is used, you will receive an email or text message with the transaction details.