Black Friday: 5 Tips to Stay Safe this Holiday Season
Many people take the day off after Thanksgiving and seize the opportunity to run down to their favorite mall or outlets and make the most of the huge discounts on many items, knocking a few presents off the list. Those less keen on finding somewhere to park their car and wait in long queues, may find it much easier to go online and look for some decent bargains.
If you can’t wait to go shopping online today (and on Cyber Monday), just be aware that the bad guys are just as keen to divert your attention to their infected websites and fake bargain stores. Thus we encourage you to pay particular attention when shopping online and searching for those hot deals. We’ve drawn up a short list of tips that will help you keep focused on protecting your machine and your money yet at the same time ensure you have a great shopping experience.
1. Secure Your PC and Network – Be sure the computer you use has, at a minimum, a firewall, up-to-date antivirus software and the latest version of whichever web browser you are running. At home, ensure your wireless network is password-protected. If you must shop online in a public place, avoid using an unsecured Wi-Fi connection.
2. Use Strong Passwords– A strong, alphanumeric password with at least eight characters is an easy way to help defend your personal information online. It is also recommended that you use different user names and passwords for each online account you have.
3. Shop on Trusted, Secure Websites – Before entering your personal financial information to make a transaction, always make sure that you are using a site that provides encryption for the credit card transaction. Look for the closed padlock on the browser’s address bar or at the bottom of the screen. Also check the browser’s address bar to confirm that the URL begins with “https,” signifying a secure site that provides encrypted communication.
4. Protect Personal Information – Most online shopping will require disclosing information to process a transaction. It is normal to provide contact information like an address and phone number, and, when prompted, your credit card number. However, be wary of any request for additional information, especially if it is received by email claiming to confirm a purchase or asking for additional information. Always contact the merchant directly if you have any doubt about requests for personal information you receive.
5. Be Careful What You Click – While searching online for deals and product reviews, be careful about clicking on hyperlinks you run across in search engine results and holiday e-cards, as well as on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, even if it appears that your friends are suggesting a link for you. Always verify the URL address—especially shortened URLs—of any link you run across to ensure it will direct you to a safe, reputable website. One wrong click can lead to malware that could end your holiday shopping season early.
Simple tips but they can make a huge difference to your online shopping experience. Have a good time shopping today, but be careful and wary of the nasty stuff that is lurking out there.
About the Author: David Kelleher
David Kelleher is Director of Public Relations at GFI Software. With over 20 years’ experience in media and communications, he has written extensively for business and tech publications and is an editor and regular contributor to Talk Tech to Me.
Well, a great alternative to shopping online is, of course, shopping directly to the brick-and-mortar store. Although shopping through the World Wide Web seems practical these days, but in reality, it’s NOT. The reason – online security.
Hackers, phishers, scammers, and spammers are all around the Internet. Your credit card and personal information are not safe anymore.
I have nothing against shopping online. But it’s better to be safe than sorry. Plus, when you’re in the store, you can touch and test the item all you want.
It’s amazing how many people suffer from identity theft or worse because they wind up on a spoofed site that looks close enough(particularly while mobile browsing) and not checking their certificates or if the connection is secure. Nobody wants to wait all day for holiday deals only to find out at the register that their bank account is suddenly much lighter.
Great tips – better be safe than sorry! Don’t allow Black Friday to become black for you! Online shopping is so much better than traditional shopping but its risks are also something to think of.
Aside from using strong passwords and using unique ones for your different accounts, try to change or randomize them every three to five months. For example, you can use password #1 for your account #1 this month. On the next month, you can use password #1 on your account #2. You can follow the same process to all your accounts.
If you want to be more complex, try to use a password generator. This software can automatically generate randomize passwords for you and store them on a safe location in your computer. This way, even if you have tons of online accounts, you’ll never forget their passwords.
The most important tip this holiday season is to only buy what you need. Don’t buy craps out of impulse. I used to be a shopaholic when it comes to the latest gadgets. You name it I got it. I use to spend $3,000 to $5,000 (including $1,000 to $2,000 through the World Wide Web) shopping for Black Friday alone every year since I got a regular job in 2003.
But this year is another story. I’ve learned to resist my massive impulse to Black Friday shopping – partly because of online credit card frauds and Internet-based scams. The main reason for this is to save money. You can loose your job in an instant. It’s a safe bet to save money now than be sorry later.