Online Shopping Safety
Many people will do more online shopping this holiday season. Shopping online may be more convenient for some, and others want to avoid shopping at malls and stores as a new COVID variant moves through San Diego County.
Here are some tips from fraud investigators with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and San Diego County Sheriff’s Department to keep your money safe:
- Use one credit card for all online purchases to avoid exposing other cards.
- Don’t click on links from unsolicited emails or text messages. Go to the website instead. Do this by searching for the contact information on your own. Do not use phone numbers of websites provided on the message.
- Make sure the website is legitimate and secure. Check for the lock icon in the address bar and make sure the address begins with https.
- Update the browser, anti-virus, and malware protection software on your computer.
- Don’t shop on public computers. Use a home computer on a secured network or use your phone on a secured Wi-Fi system.
- Create a unique password for every online account. Use at least eight letters and a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols.
- Do not trust sellers who ask you to pay with a wire transfer, prepaid debit cards, or gift cards.
- Only download apps from a trusted app store or online platform.
- Monitor your bank statements for unauthorized transactions.