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Hackers use a variety of phishing scams to create fake emails and websites to attract consumers. And steal their information. They can clone a retailer’s website seamlessly. And the user, soon to be the consumer, has no idea. And find out too late.

For example, if an email hits your inbox that looks like it’s from a popular online retailer offering 50% off don’t click it. Don’t click on any image or link from an email. 

Any secure website is encrypted. And allows you to complete a purchase and enter your personal and credit card information without being hacked.

There are a lot of clone sites out there. It’s always it’s best to go directly to your web browser and type in the URL. This guarantees you are visiting a secure site.

A URL should begin with “HTTPS” instead of “HTTP” to ensure it is safe.

3. Monitor your credit cards/bank accounts

Statistics show that one U.S. citizen is a victim of identity theft every three seconds.

It’s time to be proactive. Check your credit card/bank account activity every day. Request alerts for total purchases over a certain amount. And monitor activity so you know when unauthorized charges hit your account.

If you find an issue the FTC requires credit card companies to allow you to dispute charges. 

If you suspect you have fallen victim to a scam, get in touch with the company or bank. They have a process to dispute unauthorized charges or temporarily withhold payment.

Bonus Tip: Never use Wi-Fi in public places to do your online shopping. Even if it’s free your data is not encrypted. And hackers often lurk around public Wi-Fi. Hackers can also create fraudulent Wi-Fi networks. If you connect to their password-free network, they have control of your device.