According to a recent survey from CreditCards.com, more than 70 percent of Americans will make most of their holiday purchases online this year, compared with 51 percent in 2019. Most online retailers have already started their Black Friday deals, but there are red flags you need to be aware of.
Since hackers know more people will do their holiday shopping online, there will more than likely be in an uptick in malicious malware attacks. Remember, holiday scams can and will come in many forms like fraudulent ads, phishing emails, calls and even texts.
Stay Alert While Online Shopping
The key is to know that there are multiple types of cyberattacks out there, so be cautious and avoid clicking on suspicious links sent to your email or phone.
Do Your Homework on Unfamiliar Retailers
One of the best ways to avoid online shopping scams is to make your purchases are made on trusted retailer websites. Always check the URL, watch for bad grammar or spelling mistakes, and search for online reviews.
Use a Credit Card For Your Cyber Purchases
Make your purchases with a credit card over a debit card. Credit cards offer more protection and recourse if there’s fraud.
Monitor Your Online Statements
Keep a record of your purchases and copies of receipts to compare them to your bank statements. If there is a discrepancy, report it immediately. We also recommend performing a dark web scan to identify if your information has been compromised.
Bonus tip: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
As long as shopping still exists, scammers will continue to use the internet as a tool to rip off unsuspecting victims. In the meantime, the best you can do is to stay ahead of these threats and protect yourself with knowledge.
Billions of records are stolen by hackers and exposed each year, and many of them wind up for sale on the dark web. In the spirit of the holidays we would like to offer you a complimentary dark web scan and we will alert you if we find that your information has been compromised.
At Biz Technology Solutions we offer a comprehensive range of managed security and IT managed services to meet the needs of any business. If you’re struggling to keep your business systems protected, or if you’ve discovered that you have poor security practices that need attention, contact us today!
From all of us at Biz Technology Solutions, we’d like to wish you and yours a very happy and safe holiday season.
