Cyber Monday – the busiest online shopping day of the year – has come and gone this week, but now is as good a time as any to brush up on your tech savvy to keep your private information safe online. Here are five must-know best practices to help you protect your identity when you’re banking, shopping, or conducting sensitive business online.
Safety Tip #1: Always looks for the https:// at the beginning of the websites you visit. That extra letter ‘s’ is there to let you know that you’re visiting a site that uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) security. Never input credit card information, or any other sensitive personal data, to a site that starts in any other way. (For example, a site that begins with http:// is NOT secure – even if it has a lock icon next to it.)
Safety Tip #2: Only shop from a secure online network. A wireless network in a public place is not guaranteed to be secure. Whether you’re at home or in the office, only use the network and Wi-Fi if you’re up to date on password protection measures, and anti-virus and encryption security software.
Safety Tip #3: Don’t click email links to redirect to shopping websites. Scammers often send emails with phony links that can download malware, or direct you to a phony site. It’s an old hacking trick. Instead, open your web browser and go directly to the sites. (If you can’t find the deal the email advertised at the official site, that amazing offer was probably an enticing hook to get you caught by phishing scammers.)
Safety Tip #4: Keep your computer hardware, software, and other systems up to date. Did you know that staying caught up with the latest Internet browser version can help protect you from getting trapped by a scammer? At the very least, always try to use the latest versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome and Safari. Each is designed to help steer you away from websites with risky bugs.
Safety Tip #5: Monitor your accounts – email, banking and otherwise – and take immediate action if you notice anything fishy. Better safe than sorry! After an online transaction you’ll want to keep a closer eye than usual, and report any strange activity immediately.