By John B. Folkerts, CISSP, Information Security Manager, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust
It is the most wonderful time of the year! Now that the holiday season has arrived many are choosing to do their shopping online to take advantage of online selection and convenience. However, there are some things that you should keep in mind before you decide to “Check Out” online:
- Double Check the Web Site
Double check the web site or app that you are planning to use to complete your purchase.
- Is the website address spelled correctly? Is the website encrypted?
- Is the company international? You may want to avoid sites where US consumer protections cannot be enforced.
- Avoid using links in email or text messages. Connect directly to the website to ensure you arrive at the site you intended.
- Monitor Your Account
Pay extra attention to your bank and credit card transactions during this shopping season. Because you may shop at more online stores and a larger variety of merchants, it is easier for unauthorized transactions to be lost in your statement. Sign up for online access to your accounts so that you can see unauthorized transactions quickly and take action. Your financial institution will be better able to help with a case of fraud the earlier they know about it.
- Be Careful with Autofill
Web browsers and mobile phones make purchasing as easy as possible. This includes providing autofill capability for name, address, and payment information. Beware that saving information in your browser can potentially expose it to others. If you do use autofill, limit it to commonly known data and avoid using it for credit card numbers or other private information. Double check any auto-filled entries, as computer mistakes could lead to a holiday headache.
- Don’t Save Credit Card Info Online
One way that thieves can obtain your credit card information is by attacking the web sites of the stores that you buy from online. A simple way to reduce your chances of having your credit card compromised this way is to avoid saving your credit card with that web store. The more stores you’ve saved a card at, the more chances of your card number being stolen.
- Beware of Phishing Messages
As holiday shopping heats up, so do criminal attempts to scam you by asking you to click unknown links or respond to text messages. Is your holiday package really delayed? Or is it a scam artist who wants to trick you into opening up a link? Keep alert during the holiday season for fraudulent emails and text messages.
These simple actions can help ensure that you and your bank accounts stay safe this holiday season. For more information about protecting yourself online, see https://www.cisa.gov/shop-safely.