When making purchases online during the holidays, be aware that due to the recent increase of credit card and data theft we need to be smart when buying online. We provided 5 quick tips that can minimize credit card theft.
- Always use commonsense, never purchase from a website that do not appear legit or you have doubts about it. Don’t be afraid to google the company & do more research.
- Look for websites that have a pad lock on the address bar and the URL site begins with https. This means this site is secured and all communication is encrypted.
- A great way to avoid having your credit or debit card compromised is to purchase a gift card and use this card as your payment method. If your gift card gets compromised, it will not affect your bank account. This means you can avoid the process of having your debit or credit card from being replaced, which can be a very long, painful process if you use this card to make recurring payments.
- Never buy from websites that requires you to install any software or open an email that you don’t recognize, that you received.
- Remember to install the latest operating system updates and antivirus definition. It is always good to run a regular virus scan.
Happy Holidays and safe shopping!
