Kip Tips
5 Tips for Safe Online Shopping
Follow these tips to protect your personal information while buying gifts this year.
By Cameron Huddleston, Contributing Editor, Kiplinger.com
November 17, 2009
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Shopping online is a great way to find deals (as I wrote recently). But, if you're not careful, you could be putting your personal information at risk of being stolen by identity thieves.
Michael Gregg, a cyber security consultant for Fortune 500 companies and the federal government, says the volume of attacks that target Internet users has been on the rise this year. However, he says there are several steps you can take to protect yourself while shopping -- or doing anything -- online.
1. Never shop online from a public Wi-Fi connection. Hackers can tap into Wi-Fi connections at hotspots, such as coffee shops, airports and hotels, to capture your personal information. If you must use public Wi-Fi, you can download for free the AnchorFree HotSpot Shield to hide your IP address while you're online and protect your computer from snoopers. Also, never use a public computer to shop or check accounts online.
2. Don't use your smartphone to shop. Hackers can use the same tactics for tapping into your smartphone as they use for your laptop or PC.
3. Don't use your debit card for online shopping. If hackers steal your debit-card information and raid your bank account, you must report any misuse within two days to get the same $50 limited liability as you would with a credit card. Miss that deadline but report your loss within 60 days and you could be liable for up to $500. After 60 days, your liability is unlimited. If you don't like using credit cards, though, consider using EBillme to make secure cash payments when shopping online (see Shop Online ... With Cash).
4. Shop online only at known retailers. Don't let a search engine pick a site for you because it could be bogus, Gregg says. Even if you're using a site that you think is legitimate, look for security labels, such as VeriSign and Cybertrust, and for https:// to appear in the url on pages that prompt you to enter personal information. Also consider downloading McAfee's free SiteAdvisor, which tests sites for dangerous downloads, spamming and more.
5. Don't click on pop-up ads. Hackers recently have posted bogus ads with malicious software on legitimate sites (NYTimes.com, for example). Online retailers will be susceptible to these attacks, Gregg says.
And remember, keep your guard up even when you're shopping in stores this holiday season. Thieves can easily snatch your wallet -- see My Wallet Was Stolen: 4 Lessons Learned.
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Reader Comments (2)
Posted by: Chris Reich at 11/18/2009 12:35:21 PM
Great tips. I'd like to add a couple. There's a trend now of certain merchants asking for photo copies of IDs. DO NOT DO IT. I needed to rent a wheel chair for my father recently and the company wanted to make a copy of my drivers license. Nope, I went elsewhere. And last week, my wife's bank wanted her to bring in a copy of my drivers license "just to have on file for checks I write to her from my business". Nope. She has had her account at this bank for 20 years and knows everyone who works there. I refused to allow her to make a copy of my license. Better to change banks---the service at B of A isn't that great anyway. And wouldn't a signature card suffice? Did they really need a copy of my drivers license? I don't think so. Remember, just because you are in a nice store or restaurant, doesn't mean your credit information is safe. There are a lot of people working in these places and the histories of many would scare the heck out of most people.
Posted by: Emmanuel Ramirez at 12/21/2009 01:23:20 AM
I agree with Chriss Reich....Better Method to minimize fraud and draining of your account is to open a separate checking account in a different and non affiliated bank. Request a "limited" debit account card limited to the amount you place in the account and use that exclusively for on-line purchases. Wire money to your account from your other "primary account only when you need to make purchases to limit your exposure to losses. It sounds like a lot of work but it's better than losing all of your money from insiders at the bank where money is supposedly "safe." Treat your credit cards and debit cards like your wallet. Never let them out of your sight!