Online shopping has become a multibillion-dollar revenue stream and is predicted to grow steadily to $370 billion in 2017. Consequently, identity theft is on the rise and online shoppers are easy targets! Last year alone, 17.6 million U.S. residents were victims of identity theft.
Here are our top three cybersecurity shopping tips to stay safe online:
- Research the merchant before buying. The Federal Trade Commission maintains a website (www.consumer.gov) that provides many buyers’ guides, lists of tips, and links to helpful resources.
- Make sure you are on a secure website before giving your name, address or credit card details. Look for a padlock and https:// in the address bar at the top of the web browser screen.
- Read the company’s privacy policy carefully. Uncheck any boxes giving the vendor permission to sell or share your information with other vendors.
Get ready...Cyber Monday is around the corner. Happy and safe shopping!
First published in our November 2015 IT Radix Resource newsletter
