Deals! Deals everywhere!

You know it – now is the BEST time of the year to shop online. Prices are lower than ever, deals are everywhere, and everyone’s shipping as fast as possible. And this year is already shaping up to be the biggest online shopping year of all time!

With so many cool innovations out there, it’s easy to get worked up into an excited frenzy… and while we 100% recommend snagging as many deals as possible this holiday season, it’s important that you don’t get so caught up that you ignore essential online safety practices.

Thankfully, there isn’t too much to worry about these days – it’s very safe to shop online. Just remember these 7 essential tips, and you can shop until you drop (or your mouse wears out) without worry!

1. Create strong passwords

This one may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t use strong passwords – or worse, they use the same one for multiple accounts!

Of course, your password doesn’t have to be complex or even difficult to remember in order to be strong. In fact, making sure you have a strong password is actually the easiest thing you can do to protect your identity online. That’s why we suggest you create strong passwords that change for every online shopping account you create.

(Pssst, mister “Password12345” – need some help coming up with a good one? Check out our recent guide to creating strong passwords!)

2. Avoid public, unsecured wi-fi networks

While pretty much every form of online payment (PayPal, bank transfer, etc) is safe and secure in itself, you’re still transmitting sensitive data over the internet.

Luckily, this is really nothing to worry about – and you can definitely still shop on the go! To stay safe, simply ensure that you are always connected to mobile data or a secure network (password required) when shopping online.

Note: If you stumbled upon a great deal while using a public wi-fi network, you can still grab it! Just turn off your wi-fi (use mobile data instead) before completing your purchase.

3. Avoid websites with “Not Secure” warnings

You may have noticed some websites with a “Not Secure” warning popping up when you visit them. This means your web browser cannot guarantee that your shopping session is 100% private between you and the seller.

Websites that are insecure lack important security features, and some can even be compromised – putting you at risk for identity theft.

So, how do you check if a website is secure? Most browsers will show you a warning:

Image source: Search Engine Journal

But if you aren’t sure, you can always look at the URL. If it starts with “https://” then it’s secure. If it starts with “http://” (no “s” after “http”) then it is NOT secure.

Bottom line: NEVER buy from websites that have a “Not Secure” warning.

4. Pay with a credit card or PayPal

When it comes to making payments, these two are your safest options. Not only have they been widely used online for decades (so they’ve figured out most of the security flaws by now), they also offer the best liability protection.

Even if the worst happens, and someone manages to steal your credit card or PayPal information, they’ll help you fight back. (Sadly, cash doesn’t have a customer service department.)

With credit cards, the government is also on your side – they say you don’t have to pay for fraudulent charges while your claim is being investigated. Since this is a federal regulation, it doesn’t matter which card you have. Your liability is capped at $50 as long as you submit your claim within 2 days.

You can also get a prepaid debit or credit card. You simply load this card with a set amount that you only use for online shopping. Once it expires, you get a new one – so your real bank details are never shared online.

5. Check your bank statements often

Image Source: The Balance

Following on the previous point, be sure to check your bank account regularly.

When it comes to fraud, time could literally be money. If you catch fraudulent transactions quickly, chances are good you’ll get your money back. However, after 60 days, you may have no right to a claim at all.

That’s why we recommend you double-check your bank account every 1-2 days. Also, be sure to ask your bank about their fraud protection program. Most banks set up alerts and automatically block payments from outside your normal shopping area, but you should still be diligent!

6. Don’t buy from unfamiliar websites without confirming they are legitimate

Online shopping has granted us access to a world of innovations, and we’re incredibly grateful for that. Now you can buy the latest technological advances straight from their creators without leaving home. And in many cases, you wouldn’t have ever known about the product if it weren’t for online shopping!

However, shopping online is much more anonymous. And that means bad actors can set up fake shops designed to rip you off.

These sites either sell knockoffs made in China, or they don’t sell anything at all… they just take your information and disappear.

If you follow all the security suggestions on this list, you should be avoiding these sites naturally. That said, you should always be careful when visiting a new website. If you don’t recognize the website, look for a familiar name.

7. Don’t give out too much information

By now you know which warning signs to look out for – so you should be shopping in secure locations now. And, in order to buy online, you definitely have to give out some information… just not ALL of it!

The following information is generally safe to provide in an online order form:

• Email Address
• Full Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• Credit Card Information

The following information should NEVER be provided:

• Social Security number
• Your password to another website

In general, you should avoid giving out unnecessary information. However, some retailers require extra details, such as a phone number (so they can contact you quickly) or your birth date (to confirm your age if necessary). This is normal, but be sure to double-check the security of the site using the other tips on this list before buying.

Alright, that does it! Hopefully you knew most of these tips already – though it never hurts to have a reminder. Now go enjoy those deals!!