The holidays are just around the corner. No matter your plans this year, there is a pretty good chance you’ll be shopping a little more often than usual.

Whether for your loved ones or a little treat to yourself, holiday shopping can be full of twists, turns, and surprises. One surprise you’ll never want to encounter, though, is a scam.

Scammers tend to ramp up their activity during the winter holiday season. With the popularity of online shopping, the odds of encountering a scam attempt have increased dramatically.

Various cybersecurity threats related to online shopping include:

• Phishing
• Fake online stores
• Card skimming
  

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we’ll go over how to protect yourself against online shopping scams. With this knowledge, you can shop safely and reduce the likelihood of losing your hard-earned money.

Strategy 1: Shop Only at Trusted and Secure Websites

Thanks to advances in technology, it is easy to find potential deals online. While you’re checking your inbox, texts, and social media for updates on the latest price drops and offers, these messages may typically provide links to a shop’s online store.

Exercise caution when clicking on these links. The next deal that catches your attention might direct you to a phishing website.

Scammers know how to use the latest technology to create websites that resemble legitimate businesses. They might even make fake online stores that closely resemble those of established retailers.

The Better Business Bureau® has a great write-up on identifying fake online stores. When checking out new shops on the Internet:

Verify the website’s address: The store’s URL in your browser’s address bar should start with “https://” and include a lock icon on the purchase or cart page. These two items indicate that the connection to the website is secure and limits a hacker’s ability to track your activity.

Research the store you’re visiting: Next to verifying a store’s web address, you should also do your due diligence on researching the retailer. Look up the business’s name and see if others have reviewed it on Google or other trusted review platforms. Exercise caution if the company has few or poor reviews, or lacks a way to contact them.

Beware of links and ads in your messages and feeds: During the holidays, scammers will try to take advantage of your “fear of missing out.” They are hoping for potential victims to make hasty decisions, making it easier to complete a fraudulent transaction. Be wary of ads or links that look unfamiliar to you, as they could lead to spoofed websites. When in doubt, look up the retailer before clicking on any links or ads.

Strategy 2: Use Your Credit Card as a Defense Against Fraud

If you love using your cards to make purchases, it is highly recommended to use a credit card over a debit card. Why is this?

NerdWallet says it best: Credit cards tend to have more fraud protection than their debit counterparts.

When you use a debit card to make purchases, you are pulling money from your own checking account. If your purchase doesn’t live up to your expectations, then you are at the mercy of the retailer’s return policy. In the case of a fraudulent transaction, the scammer has already taken the money and run.

In contrast, a credit card is backed by the money of the issuing institution. If you’ve been scammed and your credit card is charged, you can report the transaction to your issuer and get credit on your statement.

On top of that, many credit cards now include user-friendly apps that allow you to remain in control. For instance, you can use a card controls app to:

• Set up transaction alerts and notifications
• Manage blocks and set spending limits
• Use travel alerts to ensure uninterrupted use while abroad
  

When you use a credit card for most of your shopping, you get an extra layer of defense against scammers.

Strategy 3: Enable Multi-Factor Authentication on Your Shopping Accounts

Multi-factor authentication is a security practice that uses two or more methods to verify your identity when logging into your accounts.

Enabling multi-factor authentication has become an increasingly widespread practice, especially as service providers and retailers are moving to digital-first platforms. The extra protection from MFA means that hackers still will have a difficult time even after cracking a password.

Many sectors that are entrusted with sensitive information, like financial institutions and healthcare providers, may require that you enable MFA when opening accounts.

In that same vein, it is highly recommended to enable MFA on your online shopping accounts wherever they are offered.

Put in perspective, online retailers require sensitive information to provide their services to you, including:

• Payment information
• Contact information
• Shipping addresses
  

Additionally, online retailers may also need you to store payment information (like your debit or credit card) on their servers, especially if they provide a subscription-based service or automated delivery model. Therefore, it makes sense to use MFA so that only you have access to these services while keeping your information secure.

Setting up MFA is easy. Visit your preferred online retailer’s website to see if they support multi-factor authentication, including how to set it up with them.

Online shopping can be fun and rewarding, especially when it comes to buying things for your loved ones. By shopping smart and observing proactive security strategies, you can enjoy this holiday season to the fullest.

First Florida helps you stay SAFE during the holidays. Visit our Scam and Fraud Education page to learn more about the latest alerts and what you can do to protect your financial information.