If you’re like us, when it’s cold out we prefer shopping online. That being said, we’ve learned helpful lessons that help protect your identity while making an online purchase that you need to know about!
Nowadays, it’s common to see people doing more of their shopping online. It’s convenient and usually seamless! However, there are risks associated with entering your credit card and personal information online to make a purchase.
6 Tips To Keep Your Identity Safe When Shopping Online
#1 Passwords and Storing Personal Information
When making a purchase from an online store for the first time, never agree to the site’s option of storing your information. Also, create a unique password for each online store and make sure it’s not one that someone could easily guess. Whether online or not, your passwords should be kept in secure places.
#2 Use a Separate Credit Card
It might be wise to consider getting a secondary credit card that you can use for online shopping only. You can ensure the card has a lower limit just in case it gets compromised.#3 Don’t Share Personal Identity Information
When it comes to your personal information, sharing is not caring – especially when you do it via e-mail, social media or text message. Sharing information this way leaves you vulnerable if your accounts are hacked.
#4 Review Credit Card Statements Carefully
It’s a good idea to get in the habit of reviewing your credit card statements before simply paying it in case there are items that don’t belong to you. Keep receipts as you make purchases so you can cross-reference.
#5 Don’t Use Public WiFi
Never make a purchase on a public computer using public WiFi hotspots (i.e. at your local coffee shop). You should also refrain from making a purchase through your cell phone or wireless internet because it’s much easier for criminals to gain access to your information.
#6 Ensure Links are Legit
Criminals are very good at deceiving people by making their e-mail seem legitimate. You should never make a purchase through links sent to you by e-mail. Instead, type in the company’s URL yourself to be sure you’re visiting the correct site.
We hope you found these tips helpful and that they come in handy the next time you decide to shop online!
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