Common Ways Fraudsters Target Online Shoppers
Online shopping offers convenience and savings, but caution is crucial. The risk of items not arriving, being damaged, or turning out to be knockoffs is real. Unreasonable fees and inaccurate product descriptions can also spoil the experience. Moreover, sharing personal and financial information with fraudulent merchants can lead to identity theft and financial losses. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) highlights three primary ways scammers exploit online shoppers:
Creating Fraudulent Shopping Sites and Email Messages
Be wary of enticing emails offering unbeatable deals on sought-after items or from unfamiliar online stores. While some may be genuine, there's a risk of encountering fraudulent sites or messages designed to extract sensitive information, leading to non-received items or potential identity theft. During the holidays, these scams might pose as charity requests. Whether appearing obviously suspicious or convincingly legitimate, exercise caution.
Intercepting Information from Non-Secure Transactions
Encryption is essential for online shopping. This cybersecurity measure scrambles plain text so it can be read only by a user with a special code. If a legitimate seller or store does not use encryption, a cybercriminal could intercept your personal or financial information as it’s transmitted. Look for “https” at the start of a site’s address. If you don’t see the “s” and only see “http,” the site is not encrypted.
Targeting Your Device’s Vulnerabilities
Lacking antivirus and anti-malware protections leaves your computer, tablet, or smartphone vulnerable to cybercriminals, who can potentially access all the sensitive information stored on these devices. Stores and sellers should protect their computers to prevent these fraudsters from accessing their customer databases.
