Tis the Season for Holiday Hacking: 4 Tips for Online Shopping Safety

Whether you’ve just started your holiday shopping or are waiting until the last minute, remember that the hackers are shopping too. With 60 percent of consumers purchasing gifts online, cybercriminals are taking advantage of this opportunity to stuff their stockings with stolen credentials. Holiday shoppers cite free delivery and time saved as top reasons for buying online, but keep in mind that same convenience trickles down to these cyber grinches. Almost half of buyers report having had their data breached at one time and a third continue to purchase online after being hacked, altering only their method of payment. Half of hacked shoppers said they would continue to do business with a breached retailer, but that they expect action on the part of the seller to regain their trust.

Security experts agree that a proactive approach may be the best strategy to avoid getting Scrooged this holiday season. Here are some tips you can use to avoid having your financial data breached or identity stolen:

1) Use legitimate, well-known shopping applications rather than links found in a search. Instead of googling “X-box on sale,” go directly to merchant websites like Best Buy or Amazon to conduct your search. Be sure to spell them correctly, because sites using fake domain names can easily steal your credentials.

2) Avoid falling for phishing emails with special deals or fake shipment information. If the deal seems “too good to be true,” it is probably a scam designed to take your credit card information.

3) Keep security in mind when setting up internet-connected devices by not using default passwords. Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as smart speakers or smart toys may have stored credentials that create a privacy and security risks. If the manufacturer provides a default password, make sure you change it to safeguard your personal information.

4) Avoid using your credit card directly on a website. Many merchant websites are unencrypted and vulnerable to hackers. By using a credible third-party service such as PayPal, there’s no need to risk entering your credit card number.

Be vigilant in protecting your credit card and personal information this season. Don’t let hacker fraud dampen your holidays!

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Resources:

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/press-releases/deloitte-2018-survey-retail-holiday-sales-to-climb.html

https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/cyber-hackers-troll-for-thanksgiving-shoppers-5-tips-to-stay-safe

https://www.zdnet.com/article/new-iot-security-rules-stop-using-default-passwords-and-allow-software-updates/