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Protect Yourself While Shopping Online

Keep your financial information secure this holiday season

Identity Protection | December 13, 2018

With the holiday season approaching it’s important to keep your financial information secure while online shopping.
A possible risk while making online purchases could include having fake e-commerce sites target you. Fake e-commerce sites are created with the intention of obtaining your information, which can make you a victim of identity theft or hacking. These sites bait you in with incredible deals that are hard to pass up and the websites then disappear a few weeks later.
Similarly, pay close attention to the URL of the retailer. Scammers will try to trick you with similar website and domain names. They attempt to lure users into fake websites to purchase something and then they have your payment information, while you are left empty handed.
Watch out for contests or prize promotions that seem “too good to be true.” Keep your guard up with suspicious emails that have messages or posts promoting giveaways or contests that offer an unreal deal. If a contest requires you to perform any kind of financial transaction, they are likely scammers and are designed to take your money and/or personal information.
While shopping, only do so on secure internet connections. Avoid purchasing items that involve personal information or financial information while using an open or unsecured Wi-Fi connection. To make certain you are protecting your identity from thieves and cyber criminals, make sure the URL begins with https:// while entering payment information.
Be aware of the risks you run with your form of payment.
  • Credit Cards - will offer you better purchase protection and fraud dispute. However, remember that the money you spend will have to be repaid in the future. It’s easy to get caught up in the deals and overspend.
  • Debit Cards – are less of a risk to get yourself into debt but keep an eye on overdraft charges. Debit card transactions are deducted directly from your checking account so if information is stolen they can drain your account.
There are a lot of good deals this time of year with holiday sales. The last thing you want is to have to deal with identity theft during this busy and stressful time of year. Use these precautions while online shopping to avoid hassles later. Stop in to your nearest Peoples State Bank location to talk with a personal banker about identity protection.

Peoples State Bank

Peoples State Bank is a community bank headquartered in Wausau, Wisconsin, serving north, central, and southeast Wisconsin from ten full-service banking locations in Marathon, Oneida, Vilas, Waukesha, and Milwaukee Counties, as well as a commercial loan production office in Stevens Point, WI.