It's no longer a question of if you'll become a victim of a cyber incident, but when. Cyber-attacks are most prevalent around the holidays and come in many forms, including identity theft, virus infections or password hacking.
Here are a few simple precautions and expert tips to help arm you and your family with the knowledge to help keep you protected and reduce their cyber security risks while shopping online include:
1. Get Email and Web savvy. Ransomware attacks will be on the rise this holiday season. Email isn't the first thing on a digital shopper's mind while hunting for deals -- but maybe it should be. Scammers favorite tool to fool users is emails. Take the time to learn the difference between a scam e-mail and a legitmate email. Shop with major retailers and verify that you're using secure shopping sites.
2. Strong Passwords are your strongest defense. Use a unique password for each online website you access. Hackers count on you using the same password for all of your online accounts so they have access to all of your information.
3. Avoid the Porch Pirates. Make sure to use a shipping service that offers signature confirmation to avoid having your goods stolen off your doorstep. This is offered by USPS, FedEx, UPS, and other major carriers.
4. Monitor your credit report. Your identity is more valuable than credit cards, and have no expiration date.
5. Pay for purchases with your credit card or PayPal.
Always complete the checkout process using your credit card rather than your debit card for the most secure transactions. This is due to the fact that your credit card purchases are protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act, reducing personal liability if your personal and financial information is used unlawfully.
What steps do you take to keep safe when shopping online? Drop us a line and let us know.
Looking for More Useful Tech Tips?
Our Tuesday Tech Tips Blog is released every Tuesday. If you like video tips, we LIVE STREAM new episodes of 'Computer and Tech Tips for Non-Tech People' every Wednesday at 6:00 pm CST on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Technology product reviews are posted every Thursday. You can view previous episodes on our YouTube channel.
Sign Up for Our Newsletter! Click this link to sign-up and subscribe and you will receive every tip directly in your inbox each week.
Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone.
Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829.
Please share this with your friends and family! If you found this post useful, would you mind helping me out by sharing it? Just click one of the handy social media sharing buttons below.