We aim to bring you the newest and most up-to-date information regarding online safety and protecting your personal information, so we wanted to share with you some tips Fox Business sent out last week regarding safe online shopping holiday season.
Stay Away From Shady Websites
We know it’s hard to resist an unbelievable deal. However, if you have never heard of the website offering this deal, make sure you check out the reviews. On that note, steer clear of websites that are out of the country. Unknown websites should raise a red flag.
Avoid Public WiFi
This is no secret since we here at Ghost Path talk about it all the time. Public WiFi puts you and your money in a very vulnerable situation, where potential hackers can easily intercept your data. “These hotspots can be virtual playgrounds for cybercriminals.” To stay protected, he suggests using a personal VPN (virtual private network),” says Norton Internet Safety advocate Marian Merritt.
Keep Debt Cards in your Wallet
A debt card is the direct link to your bank account information. If at all possible, try to use a credit card. Or better yet, use pre-loaded or one time use credit card. You can often find these in your local drug stores or super markets.
Beware of Sketchy Emails
During the holiday’s, many inboxes are full of junk emails that are offering deals and discounts to some of your favorite stores. Although most are harmless, often spam mail will carry viruses. Even if it’s an email offering you the best price of the item you’ve been searching for, beware. A hacker could have seen you searching for this item and trying to get into your personal files through this email. It’s always safer to only open mail from known senders.
Deals That Are Too Good To Be True
If there is a deal that is drastically lower than what the average price is, the deal is too good to be true. Often hackers use this maneuver to get you to open some mail or go to a website where they can overload your computer with viruses. Just keep in mind that if it’s too good to be true, it usually is!