Guest post by Alex Merton-McCann, online consumer safety expert and Cybermum Australia at McAfee.
Whether it be to set up the home office or gym, to finally get started on that home DIY project, or to simply keep the household fed, clothed and entertained, Aussies have been shopping online more than ever amid advice to stay at home and the closure of many physical stores. In fact, more than two million parcels a day were delivered across the Australia Post network in the last week of April, 90% more than the same time last year.
The unfortunate truth is that, while we were all adjusting to the new normal and turning to the internet for all our shopping needs, cybercriminals were devising sinister plans to cash in. Scamwatch reports show that Australians have already reported over 4300 cases of online shopping scams in 2020, over a quarter of which occurred in April alone, with losses amounting to $2 million.
Any time where consumers are perhaps more stressed and are rushing to purchase an items before they run out or are no longer on sale, cybercriminals are banking on security quickly becoming an afterthought. It’s therefore more important than ever to think twice before making purchases, clicking on links, or sharing personal and financial information online.
The good news is that there are three simple steps you can take that will go a long way in protecting your financial information from malicious actors online:
- Stop, pause and double-check: One of the easiest ways a cybercriminal can get a hold of your financial data is through phishing texts or emails that trick unsuspecting consumers into clicking phony links for products or services, leading to malware or a fake website that steal personal information. Before clicking on a link or entering any details into a website, take some extra time to check whether the web address or email address is legitimate directly with the source. A good rule of thumb is that if a deal seems too good to be true, particularly if it has been shared with you unexpectedly, it probably is, and should be treated suspiciously.
- Don’t take shortcuts when it comes to passwords: While using the same password across all of your online shopping logins may make life easier, it also makes it easier for cybercriminals to access all of accounts with just one hack. Make sure you set up different passwords for each of your accounts, and these passwords are complex, using numbers, special characters and upper- and lower-case letters. If the idea of remembering each unique password seems overwhelming, a password management software is a great solution!
- Browse with security protection: A comprehensive security software can help protect against malicious links, phony websites, and keep your important financial information encrypted so it’s safe from prying cybercriminals.
With these easy tips you can enjoy the convenience of online shopping from home with peace of mind that your data is safe and protected.
