3 Safety Suggestions for Online Shopping

Take these precautions to protect yourself as you shop online.

This holiday season, you are sure to do some of your shopping online.  However, during this time of year, cyber criminals get more aggressive in their attempts to steal financial and other forms of personal information.  This is why it’s so important to take some extra security measures.  Try out these precautions to protect yourself as you shop online.

Stay on Familiar Sites

Now is not the time to try out a brand-new retailer or buy from a site you’ve never heard of before. This is because some cyber criminals actually create fake websites in an attempt to steal unsuspecting customers’ financial information. To avoid giving criminals free rein to your credit or debit card, just keep with familiar and big-name online retailers this holiday season.

Don’t Give Out Private Information

Unfortunately, even legitimate companies can fall victim to devious hackers. This is why you need to be on the lookout for signs that a website has been compromised. For instance, if the site prompts you to enter information seemingly unrelated to your purchase, then this should immediately raise a red flag. No retailer should ever need your social security number or birth date in order to process a purchase. If you feel that a website is requesting too much sensitive information, then it’s best to play things safe and immediately leave the site.

Check Your Statements

Finally, you should carefully monitor your credit card statements throughout the holiday season. Do not simply wait for your bill to come at the end of the month. After every purchase, you should check your online statement to ensure that you were not overcharged or double charged by the company. Additionally, you should watch out for any unrelated charges that pop up on your bill. This way, if you notice inconsistencies, then you can immediately jump into action and prevent the problem from becoming more serious.

Take these precautions to protect yourself as you shop online this holiday season. Want another way to stay safe over the holidays? Then make sure you have the right personal insurance protections in place. For assistance with all your personal coverage needs, contact the professionals at Mike Leonard Insurance Agency. Our dedicated team is eager to find you the right coverage from one of our many carriers including: Kemper, MetLife, Travelers, Nationwide, The Hartford, Safeco Insurance, Progressive, and American Strategic Insurance.