Most cybercriminals want money. They create and use clever ways to get money from unsuspecting online shoppers. Whether that means stealing credit card information or copying bank account numbers, cybercriminals will monitor online shopping activity to achieve their goal. Increased online shopping activity, like during the holidays and back-to-school shopping days presents opportunities for these criminals to gain access to personal information.
A particularly common way that scammers attempt to gain access to personal bank account information and credit cards is through 'phishing'. Phishing emails are emails that look legitimate and encourage users to click on links that appear to go to places like a bank website or even to an online retail site. Once the user clicks the email links, they are redirected to a site, that although it appears real, is actually a site controlled by the online scammer. Once information is entered into the site, it is captured by the phisher. Avoid this type of scam by simply going to the site mentioned yourself rather than clicking on a link.
Making sensitive transaction through free Wi-Fi hot spot locations is dangerous. Your account credentials or other sensitive information can easily be swiped from the wireless traffic.
Before entering sensitive information into a website, look for signs that indicate a secure transaction. There should be a padlock symbol located in thew browser window. When you click on this icon, you can verify that the certificate is up-to-date and issued to the same company you are visiting. Also, make sure you see "https" before the web address in the address bar. This signifies the page is secure and any data entered onto that page will be sent across the internet securely.
Always log out of sensitive sites. It is possible for an attacker to hijack a sessio that has been left open. Most sites perform an auto log-out after a period of inactivity, however, attackers can get into an account if the session isn't purposefully terminated.
When setting up online accounts, make sure to use different log-in and password information on each one. Passwords should be as long as possible and contain a mix of letters, numbers, punctuation, and symbols.
Don't allow sites to store your credit card information. While this might be convenient, it creates an opportunity for you information to be exposed should the online retailer ever have an issue with your critical data.
Use the same credit card for all of your online purchases and only use that card online. This will make it easier to track your spending and spot any strange activity.
Try to use simple logic. If a deal seems too good to be true and it is sitting in your inbox, delete it; especially if it is from someone you did not initiate contact with in the first place.
Courtesy of Security News Daily
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