Cyber Moment

By Mike Pfeiffer, CyberFyfe LLC

Ah, November!  A time for gratitude, copious amounts of turkey, and, let’s be honest, snagging those holiday deals before someone else does.  But before you gear up for your digital shopping spree, let’s talk about keeping your online shopping carts and bank accounts safe from the Grinches of the cyber world.

Navigating the Web of Holiday Deals

First things first, make sure the website you’re buying from is more secure than your grandmother’s recipe box.  Look for HTTPS in the URL—the ‘S’ stands for ‘secure’ and not ‘more stuff to buy,’ although it might feel like that sometimes.  This ensures that the connection between your browser and the website is encrypted, keeping your sensitive information snug and secure.

Payment Protection:  Guard That Dough!

When it comes to online shopping, your credit card is your best friend—more forgiving than your debit card if fraud occurs.  Credit cards often offer better fraud protection, and the money isn’t directly taken from your bank account, giving you time to solve disputes without feeling the pinch in your daily latte budget.

And if you’re a fan of technology, consider using a digital wallet like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or Samsung Pay.  These services store your card information securely and use tokenization for transactions—transforming your data into a complicated code faster than Aunt Millie can ask you about your love life at the dinner table.

Password Pandemonium

Still using your birthday or your dog’s name followed by an exclamation point as your password?  It’s time to step up your game.  Create strong, unique passwords for each shopping site.  Think of a passphrase like “TurkeyDay$SaleZ2023!”—it’s a feast for your security but indigestible for hackers.

The Phish Market of Holiday Emails

Phishing emails dress up better for the holidays than your house does.  Watch out for emails or texts claiming outrageous deals or alarming you about a problem with your delivery.  If an offer looks too good to be true, it probably belongs in the trash, right next to that fruitcake from last year.

Check Twice Before You Click

Double-check the retailer’s name in emails or ads.  Scammers are sneaky and can set up fake sites that look eerily similar to real ones.  If you’re unsure, manually type the URL of the store into your browser instead of clicking on links in emails.  Better yet, rely on your Password Manager so that won’t miss those pesky look-a-like domain name (URL) addresses.

In Conclusion:  Shop Safe, Not Sorry

So, as you fill your digital carts this holiday season, remember to shop securely.  A little caution goes a long way toward ensuring that the only surprises you encounter are the good kind—like finding the last gravy boat on sale, not a drained bank account.

Happy secure shopping, everyone!  Here’s to a season filled with joy, peace, and rock-solid passwords.