People most often associate chaos and risk with Black Friday and not so much Cyber Monday. They picture themselves snuggled up on the couch in their living room with their laptop and a hot mug of coffee, enjoying the sales in the safety of their own homes. What people don’t understand is that all Cyber Monday has done is taken the craziness of Black Friday and opened it up to the World Wide Web. Great Plains Communications wants to provide you with reminders and tips on what to watch for, to assure your safety.
Cyber Monday is the largest online shopping day of the year, which makes it the single largest opportunity for criminals to steal money, personal information, and credit card numbers. According to the FBI’s 2013 Internet Crime Report, the average loss for victims in Nebraska was $2,786. The FBI has studied the problem and issued some helpful tips:
- Only shop reputable sites.
- Make sure payment pages are encrypted – start with HTTPS.
- When searching a site, double check the URL of the top-listed sites before clicking. (Criminals have been known to pay for high placements in search results)
It is also advised to take caution when opening certain emails. Make sure not to click on any links or open attachments in any that are unsolicited. It may also be smart to log on to the Websites directly rather than clicking on the links provided in the email.
Cyber Monday is a convenient way to take advantage of great deals and a head start on holiday shopping without the unpleasant winter weather. The biggest tip is just to shop smart and shop cautious. If something seems too good to be true, look into it before entering any personal information. For specific scams to look out for this year, check out the FBI’s website. And if you have any questions or problems with your Internet connection, please call our Customer Response Center at 1-855-853-1483. Let us know in the comments below what big deal you are looking to grab this Cyber Monday, and happy shopping!