Today, with every online click, you are sharing personal information, making identity theft a growing concern. In fact, a significant number of identity theft reports are tied to online shopping and payment fraud.
CC 175 Legal and Personal Protection Plan members have an active identity protection program that helps protect their identity, but defense also starts with good habits.
Here is how to significantly reduce your risk of identity theft while online shopping:
How Online Shopping Puts Your Information at Risk
Thieves look for three main weaknesses when you shop online:
- Hacks at Stores: Large online stores can be hacked, leaking millions of customer names, addresses, and payment details.
- Fake Emails (Phishing): Scammers send emails that look exactly like they are from a major retailer (like Amazon) asking you to “fix” an order. When you click, you hand over your passwords and information to the thief.
- Fake Websites: Thieves create fake sites that look real. You buy an item that never arrives, and your credit card details are stolen instantly.
Before You Click “Buy”
The best defense is to be proactive. Before you enter your payment information, make sure your digital environment is secure.
1. Verify the Website’s Security
Never enter payment or personal details on a site that isn’t secured.
Here’s how:
- Look for ‘HTTPS’. The web address link should start with https:// (the “s” stands for secure).
- Check for the Padlock. There should be a small padlock icon (🔒) in your browser’s address link bar. This means the site encrypts your data.
2. Avoid Public Wi-Fi for Transactions
Public Wi-Fi networks (like those at a coffee shop or airport) are often not secure and easy for hackers to access your data. Online shop only on a password-protected home wifi network, or use cellular data.
3. Use Unique, Strong Passwords & Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Here’s how:
- For passwords, use a long, one-of-a-kind phrase for every online shopping account. Mix upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Never reuse the same password!
- Turn on two-factor or multi-factor authentication whenever offered. This requires a second step to log in, like a code sent to your phone.
4. Be Wary of Phishing Scams
Beware of fake emails or texts disguised as real retailer communications, especially those promising extreme deals. Do not click links; instead, manually enter the official website address or use the retailer’s app.
5. Keep Your Devices Updated
Your computer, tablet, and smartphone constantly release security updates. Install all system and antivirus updates that can patch vulnerabilities that hackers look to use.
Smart Checkout Practices
Your payment information is the gold standard for identity thieves:
- Pay with Credit, Not Debit: Credit cards often offer stronger fraud protection and “zero-liability” policies where you’re not responsible for unauthorized charges.
- Don’t Save Your Payment Information: Saving your credit card number on a retailer’s website is a risk. If that company is hacked, your card details could be exposed.
- Use “Guest” Checkout: Creating unnecessary accounts leaves more of your personal data floating around the internet.
- Never Provide Your Social Security Number (SSN): Online retailers do not need your SSN to process an order. If a site asks for it, consider that a major red flag.
After the Purchase
The last step in safe online shopping is staying vigilant after you’ve made your purchase.
- Review your credit card and bank statements weekly. Not just monthly. Catching any fraudulent charges quickly can save you a lot of trouble.
- Regularly checking your credit report helps you spot any unauthorized new accounts (loans, credit cards) opened in your name.
Activate Your Ultimate Protection Today!
Even with the best habits, data breaches can happen anywhere. That’s why your Union Legal and Personal Protection Plan includes free identity theft protection, which is more important than ever.
Depending on the tier of benefit your union signed up for, you can have:
- Email Monitoring
- A $1 Million Insurance Policy backed by AIG
- 1 Bureau Credit Monitoring
- Monitoring Social Security Numbers and other sensitive information, all paid for by your union!
This benefit requires a one-time registration, which you can do by clicking below or calling us at 332-239-2667.
This benefit will open a different window into a more secure, encrypted server. You will also have the opportunity to upgrade to a different plan that can have additional benefits for you and your family at discounted rates.
