Protect Financial Information Online
You might do some of your holiday shopping online, and if so you’ll find that it may be a lot easier than heading to the mall and sifting through sales bins while dealing with other shoppers who are looking for the very same deals you are. While there are some people who still prefer to head to the stores in order to do their shopping, plenty of shoppers are turning to Internet shopping for some - or all - of their shopping.
How do you make sure that your personal financial information stays safe while you’re shopping online? Cyber-fraud is a viable fear, and if you’re not careful you might find your accounts hacked into and your identity stolen. The key to keeping your information safe is to not give your information out to questionable sources just because you’re making an effort to find the best deal.
Here are some tips for protecting your financial information online while shopping:
Use trusted websites. There are some websites that you know are safe because you have used them before and they are well-known retailers. Many websites also have guarantees that transactions are protected and safe, and in the event of a breech of security the retailer will reimburse you. Always read the security information on a website before providing any account information for a purchase.
Don’t shop at websites you’re unfamiliar with. It doesn’t take a lot to create a website that looks a lot like a viable retailer. Websites might be created with the distinct intention of luring in bargain shoppers and grabbing their account information. Instead of receiving your ordered merchandise, you’ll wind up losing money and encountering big hassles. Remember: If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Use your credit card. This doesn’t mean that you should use your credit card and pile up a bunch of debt. Instead, the advice to use your credit card for online purchases is to protect you from having your checking account drained of the balance if you use your debit card and a thief intercepts the account information. Even though it’s a hassle to have your information stolen, recovering from a credit card number stolen can be initially much easier than recovering from a debit card number getting stolen because if your checking account suddenly has no money in it you might encounter other problems, like bounced checks and rejected automatic payments.
If something doesn’t seem right, don’t make the purchase. Your intuition can tell you more than you might realize. If you’re shopping on a website and something just seems off, close out the browser and try a different website. If you get the feeling that something is wrong after you make the purchase, immediately check your accounts to make sure that only the amount you authorized was deducted.
If you know for sure that something is wrong, contact your financial institution and consider placing a fraud alert on your credit reports through all three bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
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