Don’t Get Scammed For Christmas This Year
As of the day I am writing this piece (11/27/17 AKA Cyber Monday), Christmas season is officially in full-swing. I know that not everyone celebrates Christmas, but there are a few other holidays in this general time period that also involve gift-giving. Therefore, no matter who you are, holiday shopping is likely on your mind right now.
As you search for the ideal gifts or a deal on i-gifts (internet gifts, original bad-pun/play on words), keep in mind that the internet is not the safe, private bubble that keeps you and your computer isolated from the rest of the world. The last time I checked, it is still the twenty-first century and computers are still prone to security issues. You can still be swindled, hacked, or become the proud purchaser of $5,000 in iTunes cards somewhere in China. However, I have a few tips from my experience in the banking industry (and some common sense) that will make sure your money stays far away from those Nigerian princes and faceless fraudsters.
Check your browser bar
This is the simplest thing you can do to protect yourself because it takes two seconds.
During the first second, make sure the website name is spelled correctly. I remember helping a client who was experiencing fraud last year and it turns out she was visiting a website that was one letter off from her intended destination (like Targe.com instead of Target.com). Scammers will find domains like this and collect as much information as they can before being recognized and shut down.
Take one additional second on any payment page to make sure that the browser bar says “https” in the beginning. The “S” is the key part here, which stands for “secure.” These pages are encrypted to protect customers, which is how you can be sure you are making a safe and valid transaction. Also, the https pages will also have an image of a little green padlock or the “https” text will be highlighted in green. Never enter any personal or financial information on a page that does not have this feature. Every verified retailer will have an encryption system.
If it seems sketchy, it probably is
Many websites will use clickbait (popular search terms) to draw you in. I have seen some that promise great discounts or free shipping, but intuition can help you decide. Some websites will have flashing text or look disorganized and overly confusing like old 90’s style pop-ups…you should probably avoid them. Emails like this are likely to be sketchy as well. If you don’t know who sent it or didn’t sign up for an email list, stay away.
The ultimate Achilles heel: GRAMMAR
If you are on a website that has six spelling errors in one sentence, leave. If the product description looks like, “once time exclusive shoes. red free shipping NEW! all custome only deal,” leave. These mistakes seem too obvious to overlook, but the scammers are targeting precisely the people who overlook them. Someone who rushes to finish their shopping process without actually reading the page may miss these things. Therefore, they might also click on a random link without thinking twice. Read the pages you are on and you will be much less likely to download a series of viruses.
Your best bet it to stick to websites you are very comfortable with and have used many times. Stay safe and happy holidays!
