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PHOTO/EMILY BAKER
Holiday Season is here! It is the most wonderful time of the year, but also can be challenging during 2020 due to COVID-19, money and other factors. We are aware the pandemic is hurting in-store traffic for most retailers, restaurants and consumers. On the other hand, websites, online services and online retailers have experienced an increase in activity. After stay-at-home orders, Amazon experienced a reported 26 percent jump in revenue after March 2020. The trend continues- more and more consumers are buying their items online.
As convenient and safe as online shopping could be during these uncertain times, it might also represent an increase in problems from it. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) between April and May 2020 it received over 34,000 complaints from consumers related to online shopping. More than half of the complaints were tied to ordered items not received. Among other claims the FTC mentioned were for receiving incorrect or damaged items, misleading product (item didn’t look as advertise) and fraud.
With Black Friday , Cyber Monday and Holiday Sales approaching we would like to provide you with some of the most common safety tips to secure and ensure you a smooth-free of scams online holiday shopping experience.
Always look for the lock: This is a lock icon you will see it in front of the “https” at the address bar. Without this icon, don’t shop or enter personal information. Responsible websites use technology to encrypt data during transmission called SSL ( Secure Socket Layer) and they use this icon to make the consumers aware they are protecting their information.
Update your software: Always make sure your smartphone, tablet , laptop or desktop software is up to date, check antivirus and firewall are updated as well. Use the store official website app to make your purchases instead of mobile websites in a browser to prevent malicious software activity from hackers.
Hotspots and shopping: Although during COVID we are limited to access hotspots in coffee shops, restaurants and airports due to seating and lounging in places are more restricted, always consider to use a secure connection. Do not use public Wi-Fi or sharing network while making a purchase.
Secure your payment: While shopping online, never send cash or a check. Look for online sites that take secure payment methods like credit cards or PayPal (your bank account or credit card is linked to the service for security purposes and they will not share your personal information with the retailer) as both options include a protection for the consumers. Never use your debit card information when online shopping.
Good passwords to avoid scams: Good passwords are at least seven to eight characters long. A good one includes upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. Create a passphrase from your favorite quote or a sentence you will remember. For example, “My son’s birthday is Dec. 25!” rephrase it as “MsBday1225!” Another way to protect yourself, do not confirm your personal information through an email from a bank or retailer, responsible banks and retailers will not send emails to confirm financial or personal information you have already submitted to make your purchase.
It is too good to be true: Do your research and don’t fall for deals that are a steal. If it is too good to be true, it probably is. You are not going to find the latest smartphone, iPhone or electronic device which sells for more than $1,000 for $300. Check the seller’s ratings and customers reviews. When on an auction site (such as ebay) read the comments before placing your bid on an item or buying it.
Using these strategies will help you smoothly navigate your holiday online shopping experience. As we continue to move to use online services, it is essential to protect our identity, keep safe our personal information and be careful with the data we exchange online browsing. If it results to be a scam, report it to the authorities and post it online to make others aware. Remember this season is all about the time you can share with your loved ones. With social distancing you can enjoy virtual gatherings to be safe and healthy. Make it meaningful to bring a smile to someone. Enjoy this 2020 Holiday Season. Stay safe! Best wishes from us at UF/IFAS Extension Osceola County.
Need help? Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office. If you are interested in more of our programs, contact us at UF/IFAS Extension Osceola County at 321-697-3000. For more information about our programs visit us at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/osceola.
