Identity theft crimes spike every year around the holidays for numerous reasons. Not the least of which is the fact that people are out and about, frequently in crowds, and not paying attention to what’s going on around them. Shopping online is no safer. Many thieves wait for this time of year when people are doing a lot of shopping online to ply their trade.
Of course, there are things you can do to help keep yourself safe while you’re shopping online. Read on to learn a few.
Online Shopping Safety Tips
- For starters, update your computer’s security software and run a scan for viruses. Doing so before you start shopping will help make sure there isn’t any leftover malicious software.
- Take extra care to ensure your personal information (credit card, address, birth date, etc.) is secure. Be very careful about verifying email addresses on websites. If you receive an email asking you to verify your address and it looks fishy to you – it may very well be.
- Watch out for extraordinary deals while shopping online. We all love a bargain, but if the deal seems too good to be true – it probably is. Thieves often use the lure of a big discount to get unsuspecting shoppers onto their websites.
- Save all of your receipts – especially if you shop online – including confirmation emails and numbers. Things can and do get crazy during the holiday season, and companies make mistakes. Even when they aren’t actively trying to cheat you, companies can accidentally double charge you, mail packages to the wrong address, or lose orders. Keeping a record of your purchase will help avoid these costly issues.
No matter where you choose to shop, whether online, in the store, or a little of both, remember to keep an eye out and if anything seems fishy, take care of yourself first. If you’d like any additional information on how to protect yourself from identity theft during the holidays, contact Santa Clarita Bail Bonds any time!
