5 Tips to Shop Safely on Cyber Monday

With the holiday season starting, consumers are anxiously awaiting the too good to be true deals from the comfort of their own home on Cyber Monday. This annual shopping event has attracted millions of people, with an anticipated over 60% of American consumers to participate this year on November 26th. However, with this increase in consumer spending comes an increase in security threats. Cyber Monday offers an opportunity for cyber criminals access to millions of peoples records. It is important to take necessary precautions to keep your personal and financial information safe while online shopping this holiday season.

1. Be cautious of malvertising
Your inbox has begun to be flooded with advertisements and deal offers. With thousands of emails being sent out every day, it is easy for a cyber-criminal to throw a fraudulent email to your inbox or through an online ad. If you see a deal offer in an email or through an online advertisement, we suggest going to the companys official website to see if the deal is legitimate. By not clicking on the links in the ads and emails, you are alleviating the risk of an attacker to install malware.

2. Use a Secure Connection
When looking at the URL of the web address, make sure that it contains https rather than http. The simple added s indicates that the website it secure and your information will be safe! Without this additional layer of security, the data is not encrypted and can be intercepted by third parties.

3. Use a Computer with Updated Security
Shopping with a computer that is equipped with antivirus software and other security measures reduces much of the risk before it gets to you. This will reduce the amount of malvertising and alert you when there are major red flags on your network. However, this is NOT a perfect solution. If you have antivirus and security software, there can still be threats on your computer and you should still take necessary precautions.

4. Proper Username and Password Management
Having universal usernames and passwords may be convenient; however, they pose a great risk . . . especially on Cyber Monday. If a hacker gains access to one of your accounts, they now have access to all of your shopping accounts and personal and financial information. Use our complex password guide to help you this holiday season.

5. Frequently Monitor your Bank Statements
With the convenience of online banking, you can track all your transactions in real time and catch an suspicious activity early on!

If you have any questions regarding online shopping security or whether your network is secure, please
call us at 212.997.0600 or visit our website for more information. Happy Shopping!