Shopping online? Here are some safety tips.
The end of the year is a huge shopping and gift giving season and for many people this means enjoying the convenience of shopping online. It also presents opportunities for cybercriminals and scammers who try to trick shoppers into paying for products and services that don’t exist and capture personal information that could be used for financial gain. If the Internet is part of your shopping plan, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Pause and Think
If you receive emails, texts, or other promotions that seem suspicious or encourage you to urgently click on links, think before you click. Look carefully at the sender’s email or website address to verify that the offer is coming from an actual retailer. Some imposters use a web address that is only slightly different from a legitimate retail company’s online store. If it seems that someone is trying to imitate a legitimate retailer, report the scam to your email provider as a phishing attempt.
Confirm Your Communication with the Website is Secure
A secure website URL should begin with “https” rather than “http.” The “s” in “https” stands for “secure,” and indicates that the website is using a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate. This lets you know that all your communication and data is encrypted as it passes from your browser to the website’s server.
Check Reviews Before Checking Out
Before making a purchase, look for customer reviews of the merchant and check trusted sources such as Better Business Bureau. Be on the lookout for complaints about items that were never received or products that arrived but were different than what was expected.
If you haven’t shopped with a company before, search online for the company’s name, plus words like “review,” “complaint,” or “scam” to see what other people are saying about their own experiences with the company.
Some scammers will set up fake e-commerce sites, so search online for a physical location and customer service information. If you still have doubts, call the merchant, or try to find a similar product with a retailer with which you are familiar.
Review and Consider Your Payment Options
If possible, pay using a credit card instead of a debit card. If you pay by credit card and are billed twice for the same item, are billed but never received the item, or received the wrong item or a defective item, the charge can be disputed. Call your credit card company right away and ask them to temporarily withhold payment while it investigates. You must also send a letter that reaches the credit card company within 60 days of the day the company sent you the first bill showing the error.
Watch what You Share
Pay close attention to the information a website collects to complete your transaction. If a merchant is asking for more data than you feel comfortable sharing, cancel the transaction. At checkout, you only need to fill out fields marked as “required” and don’t save your payment information in your profile. If the account autosaves payment information, delete the stored details after finishing the purchase.
Review Your Bank and Credit Card Statements
Good recordkeeping helps with managing your cybersecurity. Save your receipts and order confirmations and check your financial accounts frequently and regularly. If you notice a transaction that you don’t recognize, a duplicate charge, or any unauthorized activity, contact your financial institution.
If available on your accounts, set up alerts that send an email or a text message with transaction information every time your card is used. If you receive an alert for a transaction you didn’t authorize, contact your financial institution immediately.
Use Secure Wi-Fi
It might be convenient to shop online from a coffee shop or airport using public Wi-Fi, but it is not very secure. Avoid making online purchases when on public Wi-Fi. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or your phone as a hotspot instead. You can also save items in your cart for later and complete the purchase from home on your own secure network.
Enable Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)
Use long and unique passphrases for each of your accounts and use multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible. MFA is an extra security step that can fortify your online accounts using the strongest authentication tools available such as biometrics or a unique one-time code sent to your phone or mobile device.
Know What to Expect
Pay attention to the order and shipping details when ordering online. Read the merchant’s delivery, return, and refund policies so you’ll know when your order is expected to ship, when you should receive it, what to do if you want to return it, and how refunds are issued.
If You Think You’ve Spotted a Scam
If you notice suspicious or fraudulent activity on your credit or debit card contact your financial institution or credit card company immediately.
If you suspect a scam, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/.
The information contained in this article should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice, and may not be reflective of terms and features currently offered by Enterprise Bank. Please contact us for details on current product offerings and rates.
To learn about products and services offered by Enterprise Bank, please visit https://www.enterprisebanking.com. If you would like to speak to an Enterprise Banker about opening an account, we invite you to call us at 877-671-2265 or visit one of our convenient branch locations.