To all you out there that love to fish and are even the diehards that fish in the winter…this is not really the fishing I was talking about. 

The Holidays are just around the corner and will be here before you know it. We all know about Black Friday and all the great bargains, but thanks to the Internet we also have Cyber Monday where all the shopping websites deck out their sites with trimmings and bargains. And we can shop right from home and not be pushed around by the person that will literally fight you at the store to get that perfect gift!

 You might be avoiding the hustle and bustle of crowds and pushy consumers, but don’t forget they are on the internet too. Cyber Criminals, Phishers, Hackers, Scammers….whatever you want to call them, they are ready to scam you any chance they get. Also, they are a lot more threatening; they steal people’s money, credit card information, social security number and identity. They will follow seasonal trends and create holiday-related Web sites, scams and other convincing e-mails that can trick even the most cautious users.

So instead of being their bait and being their “Big Catch” of the season, consumers should get prepared, shop smarter and enjoy your online shopping experience.

o   Debit Cards are not the best to use while doing your online shopping. If a problem occurs, the phishers now have access to your checking and /or savings account. Credit Cards offer more protection than most Debit Cards do.
 

o   Before you start shopping online, make sure you have all your security software up to date; Firewalls, Anti-Virus software and Anti-Spyware software.
 

o   Make sure the website you are shopping on has an SSL’s (Secure Socket Layers).  This technology protects your online transactions. You can tell by looking at the URL in the address bar, SSL connections start with https:   instead of http: , another way is to Check for the “Lock”!
 

Microsoft Internet Explorer displays the lock icon in the lower-right of the browser window.

 

 

Mozilla’s FireFox Web Browser displays the lock icon in the lower-left corner.

 

 

o   Read the website’s Privacy Policy. If they do not have one, “X” out of that site right away. If they do, make sure it states that your data will stay private to the merchant and that they will not sell or rent your information to a third party.

o   Some websites will have the BBB seal on them, Better Business Bureau. Just because they have the seal does not mean they are legit. Click on the seal to confirm it is legitimate. You can also go to the BBB’s website, to check out a business before you buy, http://www.bbb.org/us/Find-Business-Reviews/
 

o   Don’t use your work or personal email to do your online shopping. Set up a separate, searchable email address. There are many free email accounts out there for you to do this; Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail…etc.

o   Many companies will sell customer email lists to third parties and this could cause excessive spam mail. You, as the consumer could receive messages from dishonest sources, disguised as messages from trusted retailers of financial institutes.  

o   If you receive an email after you are done shopping, do not respond to that email to confirm a recent transaction. This is more than likely a phishing scam that is usually sent around the time you have been shopping.
 

o   Legitimate companies will not ask you to enter personal or financial information on a pop-up screen. 

o   These pop-up screens can be created by scammers and the screen is usually unrelated the website that you are on.
 

o   The Holidays are a time for giving and people like to donate to charities during this time to reach out to those in need. Some charities may be legit, but then there are those that will be sophisticated charity scams only after your money. Never make a donation to solicitors that contact you via email. These emails are not legit and take you to fake websites designed to steal donations, credit card information and your identity.
 

o   This is a good time for hackers to send you that “special” friend request, Holiday E-Card or cute Holiday themed download. Be careful what you click on or what friends you accept, malicious code may be lurking behind those links.

In the end, trust your instincts. We all get busy during the holiday season and it’s easy to forget those simple steps in keeping your bank account and identity safe.   Like I mentioned earlier, don’t be the phishers “Big Catch”, take the extra time to do the research, shop smart, and in the end you will enjoy a stress free and scam free Holiday Season.