Black Friday, Cyber Monday and year-end holidays are fast approaching, and one can easily get carried over with shopping, leading to immense security risks. Let’s take a look at how we can be safe on the internet this shopping season.
Shop on Trustworthy Sites
Make sure that you purchase products from the sites you trust. Ideally, you have had a good experience or read positive customer reviews about a site. Stick to the particular service provider for a longer period of time instead of browsing through unknown websites.
Look for Site Security
While shopping online, ensure that the connection to a website is safe and secure. In modern browsers, secure browsing is seen in the form of a padlock in front of the page address. This lock shows the SSL certificate of the site, indicating an encrypted connection. It doesn’t guarantee that the entire website is safe, just that the initial connection is secure.
Use Safer Payment Gateways like Amazon Pay, PayPal, and Apple Pay
Most shopping websites redirect you to a third-party website to complete the payment. For example, some sites let you input your credit card details or pay via PayPal. With PayPal, you don’t have to input your financial information into a unreliable third-party website. The transaction happens directly via PayPal and then you get redirected back to the online store.
Stay Clear of Phishing Scams
The holiday season can see many people lowering their guards. Cybercriminals take advantage of these lapses. Always be skeptical of suspicious emails. If you receive an unexpected email from an online shopping site regarding your account, do not open any of the links. Instead, try logging into the store and going to your account. Most e-commerce sites send you an email about your purchase, but they only interact with users on the website.
Though the internet brings forth a convenient shopping experience, you still need to keep your guards high. We may not be able to help you select the right gift for your friend, we can protect your business from online IT threats.
Contact us to learn more about your IT security options at 623-312-2440!