Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest shopping days of the year. This is a great time to find amazing deals on everything from electronics to clothing to home goods. However, it's also a time when cybercriminals are extra active, looking to take advantage of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. In fact, a recent study by the National Retail Federation (NRF) found that cybercrime costs retailers an estimated $65.4 billion annually.
To help you protect yourself from
cybercrime during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we've put together some tips
for safe online shopping. Follow these guidelines to ensure your personal
information and financial assets remain secure.
1. How to identify 'secure' websites.
- Only shop on websites
that use a secure connection, indicated by a "https://" in the
address bar and a padlock icon in the browser's status bar.
2. Avoid phishing scams.
- Be wary of emails or
text messages that appear to be from legitimate retailers but have
suspicious links or attachments. Phishing scams often try to trick you
into revealing your personal information or clicking on malicious links.
3. Use strong passwords.
- Create strong passwords
for all of your online accounts, including your email, banking, and
shopping accounts. Avoid using easily guessed passwords, such as your
birthday or common words.
4. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Whenever possible,
enable 2FA on your online accounts. This adds an extra layer of security
by requiring you to enter a code from your phone or email in addition to
your password when logging in.
5. Be cautious about public Wi-Fi.
- Avoid using public
Wi-Fi to make online purchases or access sensitive information. Public
Wi-Fi networks are often unsecured and can be easily compromised by
cybercriminals.
6. Use a credit card for online purchases.
- Credit cards offer more
protection than debit cards in case of fraudulent transactions. Make sure
you use a reputable credit card company and review your statements
regularly for any unauthorized charges.
7. Keep your software up to date.
- Make sure your
operating system, web browser, and other software are up to date with the
latest security patches. These patches often fix vulnerabilities that
cybercriminals can exploit.
8. Be skeptical of too-good-to-be-true deals.
- If a deal seems too
good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of offers that are significantly
lower than the average price for a particular item.
9. Shop from reputable retailers.
- Only shop from
retailers that you know and trust. Do some research on the retailer before
making a purchase to make sure they have a good reputation.
10. Be careful what information you share online.
- Don't share personal
information, such as your Social Security number or bank account
information, on social media or in emails. Only share this information
with trusted websites and retailers.
By following these tips, you can help
protect yourself from cybercrime and enjoy a safe and secure Black Friday and
Cyber Monday shopping experience.
Additional Tips:
- Use a password manager
to generate and store strong passwords for all of your online accounts.
- Be careful what
information you share on social media. Cybercriminals can use this
information to target you with phishing scams or other forms of identity
theft.
- Install antivirus and
anti-malware software on your computer and keep it up to date.
- Be aware of common
scams, such as the "Nigerian prince" scam or the
"grandparent scam."
By following these tips, you can help protect yourself from
cybercrime and enjoy a safe and secure online shopping experience.
VECTOR CHOICE ADVANTAGE
Vector Choice is here to help businesses implement MFA and
provide employee training to help keep sensitive business and customer
information safe. We can assess your current security posture, develop and
implement a plan to deploy MFA to all users and devices, provide training and
support, and monitor usage.
If you are interested in purchasing any of our services, please schedule a free
10-minute Discovery Call with us here!
