Due to the convenience, thousands of individuals will shop online; especially on “Cyber-Monday.” Shopping online is great to avoid long lines and crowds. However, there are people online waiting to take advantage of you. Below are online shopping safety tips which can help you avoid being a victim of identity theft and scams.

•Shop at well-established online stores. You can learn a lot about the store by reading the comments and feedback from other customers.

•Ignore pop-up messages while on shopping sites. Set up your browser to block pop-up messages.

•Be mindful of unsolicited emails and text messages. If you did not sign-up for these messages, they could be a phishing attack. The email or text link will often take you to a site that looks official, but is actually a fake site set up by cybercriminals. It will ask for your username, password, and possibly more information. You should always visit the intended shopping site directly through your browser.

•Be careful when using public Wi-Fi networks. These may be unsecure or even fake networks set up by cybercriminals.

•When paying, make sure the website address begins with “https.” The “s” at the end means it is secure and the website encrypts your information.

•Look for the padlock icon in the browser bar. If the padlock icon appears on the webpage, but not in the browser bar, it might be a graphic a cybercriminal placed there to trick you into thinking the website is secure.

•Use a credit card instead of a debit card. Most credit cards offer better protection against unauthorized purchases.

•Before purchasing an item you are unsure about, know the company’s return policy.

•Monitor your monthly statements to make sure there are no unauthorized purchases. If you find unauthorized charges, contact your bank or the credit card company immediately.

**When making your purchases, think about delivery of the packages.
Do not have them delivered to your home when no one is there to receive them. Thieves often trail delivery trucks and take packages from front porches not long after they are delivered.

If possible, schedule the package delivery for days/times when you know someone will be home.

Consider having packages delivered to a trusted neighbor who will be home or have the packages delivered to your place of work.