One quick google search for cyber Monday deals and you will first see results from big name brands like Best Buy, Macy’s and Walmart. We all know those brands and feel safe shopping with them both on and off line.
But what about brands we may not know that well or scams that trick you into believing that your credit card company just wants you to reset your password?
Emailed deals that sound too good to be true are probably in your inbox right now, along with phishing scams trying to get your bank or personal information.
I posed this question this morning to my Facebook friends: “How are you shopping safe this cyber Monday (another question is *are you shopping online?)”
LMSawyer said: “Only shopping on sites I know and trust with https or paying through PayPal.” Smart way to shop!
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are now bundled into the Thanksgiving holiday weekend which makes it daunting to stay sane as you navigate family, food, shopping and online safety.
With Cyber Monday Forecast To Set $1.2 Billion Sales Record it’s no surprise that we all are looking to make the most of our time and avoid the holiday crowds that come along with big box brick and mortar stores.
If you are looking to stay in budget, WXII shares 14 frugal websites full of steals and deals. These are for those of you who love a great bargain and want to spend more of your time at home relaxing with a nice cup of hot cocoa.
Recently I had the opportunity to share a few tips with Nicole Ducouer of WXII and I sure hope these tips help you shop safe and shop smart! (will upload link to video as soon as it’s posted!)
- Shop from sites that have HTTPS:// :: HTTPS stands for “Hyper Text Transfer Protocol” with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and is used for safe online transactions.
- Pay with a credit card or paypal. :: Report any fraudulent activity to stopfraud.gov
- DON’T shop from an unsecured wifi network. :: Before Connecting to an Unsecured Wireless Network Consider the Risks and remember that you could be sharing more than you think!
- Be aware of what you search for :: When adding search terms like “cheap” you may inadvertently land on an e-tail site selling fake goods. Even worse is that some of these sites are only after your credit card number!
Consumers Fall for Fakes Online, Says Brand Protection Watchdog, so it’s a good idea to search for the company website name plus the word “scam” before making that purchase. - Set strong passwords. :: Make sure that you create strong and unique passwords for your different accounts. In the case that you are hacked, phished or scammed it prevents them from accessing more of your information.
- Don’t click on links or open attachments in unsolicited emails. :: If you have made a purchase online and eagerly wait for updates on your package, be aware of Phishing scams that can fool you into “logging in” or “confirm details”. Often spoofing emails can be VERY convincing. Remember that the ‘from’ address can be faked so that it appears to come from the trusted domain.
- Update your computer anti-virus and anti-spyware software. :: You may already have guessed that the for-pay versions are the best, but there are some free ones out there that can do the trick. [Check out these reviews from PCMAG]
Remember that Cyber Security is Everyone’s Responsibility and it goes beyond Cyber Monday!
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How do you shop safe on cyber Monday?
Have you ever been a victim of a cyber Monday scam?
What cyber sales items do you look for online?
When shopping on Cyber Monday, do you make it a point to support local small businesses who have online inventory?
