Security and Privacy When You’re Holiday Shopping Online

When shopping online, it’s better to use a credit card rather than a debit card. Credit card companies are often more proactive about getting their money back if a fraudulent charge is made, but with a debit card, you’ll have to argue the case with your bank, and you could have more liability.

Payment sites like PayPal offer additional security layers with end-to-end encryption, 2-factor authentication (2FA), and purchase protection. And if you want to be extra secure, you can load up a prepaid card to use for your online shopping—that way, if the card is compromised, you’re only out of the money you put on it.

Tip: Regardless of how you’re paying, always make sure the retailer’s URL includes “https://” at the beginning. This ensures that the page is secure and your data can’t be intercepted.

Phishing often increases during the holidays—scammers try to capitalize on the fact that more people are shopping online by sending fake emails or text messages citing “problems with your order” or “promotional coupons.”

As a rule, you should always think twice before opening a link. When you get an email or text message about an order, the best thing to do is to try to find the information yourself. For example, if a message cites a problem with your Amazon order, open your browser and log in to Amazon separately to check your account instead of clicking the link.

With phishing, a little extra caution can go a long way—cybercriminals try to create a sense of urgency, so people click without thinking. If you stay aware, you can avoid getting hooked.

Tip: Phishing is just one type of social engineering attack that surges during the holidays. Watch out for other schemes that try to trick you into providing your information, and be sure to use a VPN to encrypt your data when shopping on WiFi.

Some in-app browsers, such as TikTok, have been under scrutiny for their potential security vulnerabilities. More companies and independent sellers are using social media as shopping platforms, and while this can be a fun way to browse and get gift ideas, these in-app browsers can also track your data. Opening links in a web browser is typically the safer option, especially if that browser is dedicated to privacy, such as DuckDuckGo or Brave.

Tip: You can turn off tracking for your apps in your smartphone’s privacy settings. Small steps like this can make a big difference to your data privacy!

You’ve heard this one before: If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. And deal scams are getting more clever. Scammers often create social media ads that point to fake storefronts, especially around the holidays. 40% of online shopping scams reported to the Better Business Bureau started on Facebook or Instagram, so it’s important to verify any coupons or promotions with the actual retailer.

If you’re unfamiliar with the company and can’t find information about them online, it’s probably not worth the risk.

Non-delivery and non-payment scams are the two most common holiday shopping scams, according to the FBI.

These scams are just what they sound like: In a non-delivery scam, the items you “purchased” never show up because the scammer never had them in the first place. A non-payment scam is the flip side of this, where a cybercriminal (or other Grinch) orders something but doesn’t pay for it, leaving the seller to foot the bill.

In addition to shopping scams, charity scams tend to increase during the holidays as cybercriminals try to take advantage of the season of giving. If you receive a call or an email about donating to a charity, make sure you pause before making a gift—it’s always safest to research the organization and donate through a vetted source instead of giving right there and then.

A password manager is the best way to secure and store your data. This is particularly useful for online shopping—your login details autofill in a snap, and with your credit card number safely stored in the app, you won’t even need to get off the couch and hunt for your wallet. Since the holidays often come with new tech toys and online services, a password manager makes it easy to create unique passwords and securely store all those new logins, keys, and PINs.

Tip: Even when you’re careful, there’s always a chance someone could get ahold of your details, so be sure to keep an eye on your online accounts and monitor your credit for any unusual transactions.