Safe online shopping for the holidays

November 06, 2017
Thumbnail
Share

Whether you’re avoiding the crowds at the mall or scouring the internet for the best deals, safe online shopping for the holiday season continues to be a challenge. Here are some online shopping tips to help you practice good internet safety during the holiday season.

  • Order from familiar websites. Do your online shopping with trusted websites, and don’t take chances with results from search engines. Bestow your business on companies you know.
  • Use a debit or credit card for payment. It’s best to use a card when making an online purchase because federal law protects card users from fraud. Additionally, UBT debit cards offer controls like real-time alerts, the ability to restrict transactions for certain types of purchases, and more. All of these card protections are designed to safeguard you in case you have a purchase problem.
  • Only shop at encrypted websites. When you’re checking out online, always make sure that the web address begins with “https” instead of “http.” An online address beginning with “https” ensures that you are using an encrypted communications path to transmit your name, address, and credit card information, which is the safest way to send these details.
  • Avoid random coupons with unknown origins. Scammers often use a technique called cross-site scripting to create a hyperlink that appears to come from a merchant site but actually relays your credit card information to a scammer when you enter it into the payment fields. Only use coupons that are available on the actual vendor’s website — preferably one that you subscribe to already.
  • Never provide your Social Security number or birthdate when shopping. Merchants should never ask for this information from you for a product order. Avoid any websites that require you to input this information to process your order.
  • Know the merchant’s policies. Make sure you know how to handle the unexpected return or exchange. Also, make sure all shipping policies are clearly disclosed and that there are no other hidden fees.
  • Keep your security software up to date. It’s important to have the latest security software on all of your devices, and keep updating that software as needed.

With a little bit of preparation and some savvy shopping, you’ll soon be on your way to completing your shopping list from the comfort of your home. Need more help? Contact our customer service team. 

  • Personal
  • Fraud Prevention
  • Fraud
  • Scams
  • Identity Protection

Learning Center articles, guides, blogs, podcasts, and videos are for informational purposes only and are not an advertisement for a product or service. The accuracy and completeness is not guaranteed and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Please consult with your own tax, legal, and financial advisors.