Thanksgiving is upon us. Followed closely by Black Friday and Cyber Monday; two of the busiest shopping days of the year. Over 48% of Americans plan to use computers and mobile devices to shop Cyber Monday sales; making this weekend into a peak hunting season for hackers and their malware, phishing and spam. Cybercriminals could not be happier. Meanwhile, good old-fashioned thieves are using information they get from the internet to steal and rob.
You need to protect yourself both physically and digitally. First and foremost, DO NOT get caught up in the rush to obtain a great deal. You are ALWAYS more vulnerable when you are in a hurry. Take a moment to check your surroundings or double check the website.
Here are some other tips and reminders for keeping yourself and your loved ones safe this holiday season.
Protect Yourself
Sadly, robberies have become a common occurrence as shoppers flood the stores and malls in search of Black Friday deals. To reduce your risk, follow these guidelines:
- Travel with a friend. If you plan on buying more stuff than you can carry in one armload, have a friend or relative come along. You can also ask a store employee to help carry your packages.
- Beware of “shoulder surfers”. When you take out your credit card, debit card or checkbook in public, “shoulder surfers” will try and spot names and account numbers so they can use them later. Give your surroundings a quick glance anytime you want to take your valuables out in public view.
- Get in your car quickly. In the parking lot, have your keys in hand well before reaching your car. Fumbling through your pockets or purse is a window of opportunity for a thief.
- Hide your merchandise. Speaking of cars and opportunistic criminals, be sure to put packages in the trunk so they’re not out in plain view or cover them with a large blanket or coat.
- Be aware of pickpockets and purse snatchers. Wallets should be kept in front pockets and purses should be carried close to the body.
Protect your Digital Self
Whether you hit the stores on Black Friday or surf the Web for Cyber Monday deals – or both – you should take measures to thwart credit card fraud and identity theft.
- Be aware of unsecured Wi-Fi. Roughly 6 in 10 people will use free Wi-Fi this Black Friday. Shoppers this year should be cautious of those unsecure Wi-Fi networks because they can leave the personal and financial information on your mobile device exposed for people to steal.
- Keep track of your phone and have a plan if it gets lost or stolen. Make sure that you have the ability to locate your smartphone. You should also be able to remotely wipe out the data on your smartphone in case you can’t get your phone back. Back up your contacts, photos and videos so they are never lost along with your phone.
- Keep records of your receipts. Compare them against your credit card statements. Be on the lookout for purchases you didn’t make, which could indicate credit card fraud. Also keep an eye on your credit reports with the help of online credit reporting services.
- Use merchants and websites that you know to be trustworthy and secure. Before submitting personal or financial information on a website make sure you:
- Look for the letters “HTTPS” and/or a padlock symbol in the address bar of your browser. This means the website is using the SSL/TLS encryption protocol to secure your communications with them.
- Look for a “trust seal”. Many merchant websites have trust seals; usually at the bottom of the home page or on pages where you are asked to provide personal information. For instance, you may see the TRUSTe or the Verisign Trust Seal among others. Scammers can forge a trust seal so always verify a trust seal’s authenticity by clicking on it and reviewing the seal’s validation page.
- Some browser address bars will light up green. This is an indication that you really are at the website you think you’re at instead of a fake site created by a hacker to fool you into sharing personal information.
- If an offer in an online ad or email sounds too good to be true, avoid it. These are often lures to infect you with malware or gather your personal information. If it sounds scammy, it probably is scammy.
- Don’t access links in unsolicited emails. Always type the address of the website yourself or use your own search engine to find a site.
- Exercise caution when using online bid sites. If your bid for an online auction item is unsuccessful, another seller may approach you with a similar item. Don’t be tempted to trade off-site. This is likely to be a scam and you won’t be covered.
- Avoid using money transfers to pay people you don’t know. Use an online payment option such as PayPal, which helps to protect you. Watch out for pop-ups asking you to confirm your card details before you are on the payment stage. Never enter your PIN number online.
- Use good passwords. Pay attention to the passwords for your email, social networking and online banking accounts. Don’t use the same one for everything. Symantec recommends you use passwords that are:
- at least eight characters long
- a random mixture of upper and lower case characters
- includes numbers, punctuation and symbols
- made up of words that are not found in the dictionary
- change your passwords every six months
- never use the same password twice
Protect your Home
Did you hear about the burglar who monitored Facebook to figure out when his victims wouldn’t be at home? It’s not an urban legend; it’s a real-life criminal strategy. Be discreet on social media. Keep a few precautions in mind as you go on the prowl for Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday savings.
- Don’t Broadcast. Don’t announce shopping trips or travel plans on social media.
- Avoid using check-in apps when you’re out and about. If your status update says you’re at the mall – with a time stamp, no less – a burglar has all the information he needs.
- Refrain from mentioning expensive holiday gifts you’ve purchased or received. You could be helping a burglar fill out his or her illegal shopping list.