Ever since the Internet has been around, so have scammers. The Internet is a convenient way to shop and make purchases in the confront of your own home, but it’s important to understand the risks so you can do so safely.
If a website looks suspicious, it probably is.
When online shopping, be aware of a website’s design and layout. If the site is hard to navigate, the design looks funky or there are a lot of pop-ups, don’t enter your card or financial information.
Avoid hyperlinks in emails.
Scammers send emails encouraging the receiver to click on a hyperlink that directs them to enter their banking information through a website or form that might resemble a bank’s. If you receive an email like this, even from an established contact, ignore it.
Be careful with mobile online shopping.
Most people forget that phones can get viruses too, and phishers can retrieve your information through online shopping done on mobile phones. To avoid this, use the retailer’s app or wait until you can use a secure computer.
Don’t share your social security number online.
Rarely ever do legitimate businesses ask for your social security number. If they do ask for it, call a representative or walk into the business- never share your SSN online.
Strong passwords are key.
The stronger the password, the better. Make sure to also use a variety of passwords across your accounts so if one login is jeopardized you won’t have to worry about other accounts being at risk.
Think you’ve been hacked? Check out 11 Ways to Tell if You’ve Been Hacked to see if your computer is showing some symptoms.
For more advice on avoiding online scams, visit USNews.com
