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The holiday season is in full swing, which means that you need to know security tips to protect
yourself from fraud and getting information stolen.
This time of year is so magical, but it’s also when people get duped and lose a lot of money
from internet scams or getting their information stolen. We’re here to help you avoid that or
prepare yourself for when it does happen.
The first tip we have for you is to stop using your debit card and start using another system like
ApplePay, PayPal or some other protected process. It is so easy for people to steal your card
number. You wouldn’t lay your card down on the counter at the mall or grocery store for anyone
to look at; having that same mindset online is very important. Anytime that you’re going to put
your card number into a website, think about whether you really trust the site or not. If you’re
unsure if the site is legitimate, then you should definitely not put any personal information into
the site.
The best thing to do is use PayPal or a protected service that will allow you to purchase without
using a card number. These services have teams of people that are specifically monitoring and
keeping track of your purchases to make sure everything checks out and looks good. These
services are the most up-to-date way to pay, making them the safest.
There have been a lot of changes and updates to cards over the years and that has allowed us
a lot more security. We need to train ourselves to use the most recent processes that will keep
your purchases secure and your information safe.
The second tip is to have a LastPass for your passwords to make it harder for your passwords
to get stolen. Password vaults are cheap if not free and they keep your passwords secure. It’s
an extra step and we know those aren’t fun, but they will give you an extra layer of security and
will help you out in the long run.
When using social media, you should have social awareness and be responsible. Hackers are
paying attention to what you post, and if you’re not careful, they will target you based on
information that you’re either posting or reposting. Make sure that you are aware of where you
are reposting information from and not linking any fishy sites. By doing this, you’re avoiding
putting a large target on yourself for hackers that are trying to steal your information or take your
account down based on what you’re posting.
Make sure you’re not buying anything on social media unless it’s from a site that you really trust.
Facebook ads are a great way for hackers to grab your attention and get you to put your card
information in. Pop-up websites were created to feature different popular items at a lower price
to trick people into purchasing, just to have the site disappear after 24 hours. Especially during
the holiday season, it is important to be aware of where you are purchasing presents from.
The third and final tip is to make sure you’re using something like LifeLock to have a team
actively making sure you’re protected.
Get a 6-month service to ensure people have your back. They will dig through the dark web and
make sure that your information isn’t up for purchase or available to be used. There are lists of
passwords that are common for people to use, and they will make sure that your passwords
aren’t on that list.
It’s easy to have the mindset that, “if people want to get in, then they will.” We get it. But, giving
yourself an extra level of protection with our three tips will make it so much harder for people to
actually want to hack your accounts. Since these criminals are really just looking for easy
money, making it harder for them will protect you.
Just remember, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. When you’re shopping and browsing the
internet this month, be extremely careful and take precautions. If you do, you’ll have a magical
December.