It's Time For Online Holiday Shopping And Tips To Avoid Fraud

If you haven’t noticed, it’s holiday time. It’s a time for cheer, giving thanks, and of course…shopping! And the season is starting earlier and earlier every year. The retailers, both online and brick and mortar, have been hawking their upcoming Black Friday sale information since Halloween…at least. So when you’re browsing online for great shopping deals, it’s always good to keep several things in mind so you don’t become a victim of cybercrime.

Malvertising

This is advertising that you see on the sides of your browser or in popups that is laced with malware. If you click on these, several things could happen. 1. You could download malware to your device. 2. You could be faced with a form asking for information such as login credentials, payment card details, or other identifying information that gets sent back to a criminal. 2. You could be redirected to another site asking for information. So avoid clicking on those ads unless you are 100% confident they are safe.

Even the well-known e-retailers can be used as bait in these scams, so just because the ad is one of them, doesn’t mean it’s safe. If you are intrigued by something you see in those ads, go directly to the store by typing the name in the address bar.

Phishing

This is a big deal. It can even be combined with malvertising to make your holidays blacker than that infamous shopping day. The cybercriminals can do many things to bait and hook you. They can send spam email to a mass list hoping someone will click a link or open an attachment that can get malware onto your device, or that can garner other information from you. That information could be additional personal details, but could also be information about your workplace. In addition to these spam messages, they may also be using information on your browsing habits to create targeted phishing emails, texts, or voice messages.

Remember that when you are browsing online, no matter what browser you’re using, like Roz from those whacky Monsters, Inc. movies, someone is “always watching you.” Information from your browser is usually collected and used by someone to show you more targeted ads, for example. If you click an ad, someone gets that information and you might be sent more ads of similar products or of other retailers. If the criminals get that information, they can use it against you for targeted phishing.

You should not only avoid clicking the ads you aren’t certain about, but don’t click links or attachments you are not 100% confident in either. Never click them if you don’t know the sender or even more importantly, are not expecting them. Even if they appear to come from your financial institution. Instead, contact them using a phone number you already know or have looked up on their official website and ask about it. You can also log into your account directly and check any details there.

Stored Payment Cards and Auto-fill

You’re probably already on high alert about payment card fraud this during the holidays and you should be. But also consider whether or not you have payment card details stored in your favorite retailers’ websites. If you do, it’s better not to do that. If one of them experiences a data breach, that information is likely to be part of the stolen information.

And when your browser tries to auto-fill your payment information, don’t let it. Criminals have found ways to cause you grief using the auto-fill feature in Chrome…and likely the other browsers too. Either shut off the auto-fill function or remember to always type in your payment details manually. And never save this in your browser, no matter how convenient.

Setting charge limits on your cards is a good idea too. Most financial institutions allow you to set these and if a charge over the designated amount is made, you’ll get a notification. Perhaps set them a little lower during the holidays. When your card number gets stolen, the criminals will often charge smaller amounts hoping you won’t notice right away.

Of course always keep an eye on your charges, but try to be more diligent about it during the busy holidays. We often make even more charges than usual, so it can be tough to keep track of it all. However, it’s very easy to look at your purchases with the online services offered by financial institutions. If you can, check it every day. You be better able to stay one step ahead of the thieves.