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Staying Secure When Online Shopping: Getting the Basics Right

Online shopping has become so popular that it has contributed to the fall of once giant businesses like Sears. But beneath the convenience of ordering goods at home is a mammoth cybersecurity problem that affects millions of users every year.

You may think shopping on sites like Amazon and eBay is completely safe – but it’s not. Hackers can get your credit card information if your passwords are weak. Attackers can send malware to your PC as you shop. Ebay has a poor reputation of harboring criminals. So, how can you spot cybersecurity threats on the Internet?

Here are seven helpful tips to protect yourself:

1. Never Share Personal Information

The number one rule of using the Internet is to never share your personal information with strangers. If you have an account with an online shop, don’t share your private information with anyone at all. Scammers contact random Amazon and eBay users asking them for personal information.

If you share your personal details for business reasons, utilize these simple techniques:

• Open a special email address for shopping: Use the email for shopping activities alone and nothing else. Delete any emails sent to your spam box and don’t let strangers learn the address.
• Use strong passwords: Don’t use single words for passwords. Use long, easy-to-remember words combined with numerals and characters.
• Use multi-factor authentication where possible: This will add an extra layer of defense to your online accounts.

2. Shop Safely with a VPN

Hopefully, by now, most people know public Wi-Fi connections are unsafe. But sometimes you might get tempted to use them while at restaurants or on a vacation. If you do decide to connect, make sure to secure your connections by using a VPN. Trusted virtual private networks encrypt your data and hide your IP address. Hackers can’t (Read more...)