Holiday Shopping Security Tips

With each passing year, our lives become more digital. Whether it’s working, learning or shopping, more of our lives are online. Unfortunately, that means cybercriminals have more opportunities to steal information from consumers and their employers. It’s important to become aware of vulnerabilities created by our increased reliance on digital connectivity.

Online Shopping Safety

Holiday shopping begins early and people anticipate annual online deals from Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday Specials as well as many other holiday promotions from stores such as Target and Walmart. With this in mind, cybercriminals continue to ramp up their technology with sophisticated campaigns that are often difficult to distinguish from the real thing. Online purchase scams are the riskiest form of consumer fraud, according to the Better Business Bureau. Companies from outside the U.S. are advertising low quality, knock-off products on social media. In some cases, the retailer steals your credit card information and sells it on the black market. Here are some holiday online safety tips:

Tip #1: Check your devices

• Protect your devices by keeping your software up-to-date. Enabling automatic software updates where applicable can help your devices avoid vulnerabilities.
• Make sure your accounts have strong and unique passwords. Enable two-factor authentication when available.
• Check your devices' privacy and security settings to make sure you're not sharing more information than needed.

Tip #2: Only shop through trusted sources

• Before providing any financial information, make sure you are on a reputable site.
• Make sure your information is being encrypted. An indicator that your information will be encrypted includes a URL that begins with "https:" instead of "http:" and a locked padlock icon next to the URL.

Tip #3: Use safe methods for purchases

• If possible, use a credit card instead of a debit card when making purchases. Because debit cards withdraw money directly from your bank account, unauthorized charges can you leave you with insufficient funds for other expenses.
• Set up alerts for your accounts to be notified of any fraudulent charges.

You’re Covered at Provident

You can shop online this holiday season with extra peace of mind because all Provident Credit Union accounts come with our special Zero Liability Fraud Protection Guarantee. This program reimburses you 100% for any unauthorized electronic transactions made on your account at ATMs or retailers. Simply report the incident within two days of your Visa debit or credit card being lost or stolen, or 60 days for non-debit card transactions.

To learn more about Zero Liability Fraud Protection Guarantee, visit us here.