Online shopping has become increasingly popular during the holiday season. The ability to avoid long lines, crowded parking lots & price comparisons with the click of a button makes this a favored choice. Be wise when shopping online! Tis the season of giving, but protect yourself & your identity from hackers or thieves!
Here are several tips to proect yourself when shopping online during Christmas & every time of year:
- Make Sure Your Computer’s Security System is Up To Date. This may seem obvious or basic but it is very important. Make sure your computer’s anti-virus program is current & running. The software will help protect you from clicking on unsafe links or sites.
- Avoid Shopping Online In Public. Many local businesses from donut & coffee shops to lunch cafe’s and bookstores offer free Wi-Fi to their customers. These connections do not provide security for you & it is advisable NOT to enter your personal or credit card info while using a public Internet connection.
- Consider Using a Separate Credit Card for Online Purchases. If you designate a credit card to be used for online shopping it can make it easier to keep track of your purchases for shipping, processing and in the event of a theft.
- Choose Unique Passwords. Too often we tend to stick with one or two passwords for all of our sites, however when shopping you NEED to be sure to choose a unique password for each online retailer. If your computer & personal information would become compromised and your password for say your bank account would be the same as the shopping retailer, then the criminal could easily access your personal funds as well.
- Avoid Scams. Don’t trust every email or pop-up-ad disclosing a sale. Stick to reputable sites and companies for online shopping.
- Make Sure You Have Identity Theft Protection Insurance. It’s easy and generally inexpensive to have special coverage for these risks added to your homeowners or renters insurance policy, and some companies include it automatically on certain policies. The coverage will help you pay for any attorney’s fees, lost wages and other expenses you may incur to restore your ID or credit.
Contact our office to verify your current level of id protection or to quote a new policy for you.
Gallen Insurance 610-777-4123