AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) — It is Cyber Monday, and while we are all trying to navigate holiday shopping during a pandemic, lots of shoppers are going online.
According to the Better Business Bureau, 78% of Americans are planning to shop at online marketplaces in 2020.
Julie Wheeler is the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Western Virginia.
“You’ve got people shopping online now that never have before. Either they consider themselves in a risk group and don’t want to go out in person, and so now they are trying to shop online. Which unfortunately gives the crooks a lot more people to target,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said while more and more shop at virtual stores, there has been a large increase in online scams in our area.
“A lot of that is folks that are clicking on these ads that pop up on social media feeds, or they are clicking on other listing or ads without doing their homework and realizing they are not doing business with who they think they are,” Wheeler said.
With many more shopping online cybersecurity experts are warning consumers to be smart with their information.
“You may be connecting to a retailer that is not reputable, meaning they may not do the most favoring things with the information that you provide for them. But also you may not be getting the best product,” said Alex Stein Chief, Information Security Officer at Bluetec IT Services.
Stein said to always look for the lock icon before you checkout or enter card information.
“You should not type anything sensitive in a field on a non-secure website. Because it means it’s being transmitted likely in clear text and somebody can read it on the other side,” Stein explained.
The BBB also gave the following tips on how to stay virtually safe this Cyber Monday and throughout the holidays:
- Install up-to-date anti-spyware, anti-malware, and other security software.
- Use an ad-blocker to keep from clicking on malicious pop-ups
- Use caution when downloading Promo Code Browser Extensions
- When possible pay with a credit card as it is easier to dispute a fraudulent transaction.
You can learn more about staying safe while shopping online by clicking here.
Copyright 2020 WHSV. All rights reserved.
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December 01, 2020 at 06:03AM
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Cybersecurity experts warn against scams as many shop for holiday gifts online - WHSV
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