The holiday season, which stretches just until the other side of the New Year, traditionally features a lot of food, family -- and shopping, lots of shopping. Billions of dollars of shopping.
Find complete info about holiday events, shopping and more in our 2015 HOLIDAY GUIDE
That's a lot of money and it's important to make sure it (and you) are protected while you buy. Here are some things to keep in mind.
- Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. If you must shop at night, go with a friend or family member.
- Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps.
- Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, con-artists may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.
From the National Crime Prevention Council:
- Keep your personal information private and your password secure.
- Do not respond to requests to "verify" your password or credit card information unless you initiated the contact. Legitimate businesses will not contact you in this manner.
- Beware of "bargains" from companies with whom you are unfamiliar -- if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
- Use secure websites for purchases. Look for the icon of a locked padlock at the bottom of the screen or "https" in the URL address.
- All the devices you use for shopping -- including smartphones andtablets -- should have up-to-date software including security software, operating systems, programs and apps.
- Links in email, tweets, posts, and online advertising are often the way cybercriminals compromise your computer. If it looks suspicious, even if you know the source, it's best to delete or if appropriate, mark as junk email.
- Be wary of communications that offer amazing deals that sound too good to be true, implore you to act immediately - including those about a problem with an order or payment or ask you to view the website via a provided link.
- Don't share personal or financial information over an unsecured network (a connection that doesn't require a password for access). Using the direct web access on your phone (via a 3G/4G connection) is safer than an unsecured wireless network when on your mobile device.
- Use a credit card rather than a debit card (which has direct access to your checking account)
- Keep your browser up to date
- Beware of "phantom sites"
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