Keep safe while shopping online for your holiday gifts.
The holidays are just a couple of weeks away and you’re probably busy shopping online to get gifts for everyone on your list. You may do you a bit of shopping in local brick-and-mortar stores, but shopping online can be a great way to compare prices and get your entire list of gifts in one go. The online world can be a scary place at the best of time, but when fraudsters know people are looking for a bargain, they’re more likely to be on the prowl for unsuspecting victims.
To stay safe while shopping for your gifts online, remember these tips.
Ensure the websites you visit are secure.
Before you even start shopping on a website, make sure that the site itself is secure. There’s an easy way to check this in web browsers: the URL should start https://. The ‘s’ stands for ‘secure.’ There should also be a green padlock next to the website address.
Use secure passwords.
More websites that sell you things require you create an account when you make your first purchase. This will include creating a username and password. Instead of using the same password for all of your retail shopping, choose a different and strong password. The best way to keep your password secure is to mix up letters and numbers – meaning that you shouldn’t use a whole word, such as ‘Password123’ or ‘Fluffy001’. Most importantly, use different passwords for each site.
Avoid shopping on public Wi-Fi.
While it may save you time shopping online when you’re in an airport, coffee shop, or library, it’s generally best to avoid doing so while on public Wi-Fi. The network is usually unsecure, meaning that anyone could access your bank details while you’re on the public Internet connection.
Never buy from websites you’ve never heard of.
If you’ve found a good website that has cheap finds for brand names, always ensure the retailer is reputable. Ask friends and family if they’ve used the site before and the deals are too good to be true, it could be a scam. Research the name of the website and where they ship from as this will generally give you a good indication if they are selling fakes and have scammed other customers before.
Enjoy your holiday season, but use these tips to stay safe online! To help protect your finances from a disaster or accident, insurance can help. For all of your insurance needs in Wellesley Hills, MA, contact the professionals at CAV Insurance today. Oh, and Happy Holidays!