How you can be safe online this Cyber Monday

SPOKANE, Wash. — There are so many deals online for Cyber Monday and con-artists know that, and are looking for victims. The Better Business Bureau says there are many ways you can avoid being a victim this holiday season.

Just last year on Cyber Monday alone, the BBB said shoppers spent almost $8 billion on online purchases.

We know some of those prices could be enticing, but there are risks when shopping online.

When you’re looking around for deals, make sure the website you’re on is legitimate. In the top left corner where the URL of the website is, make sure there is a lock symbol and the link starts with “https.” That way, you know the website is secure to use, especially when you’re about to put in your card numbers.

Do your research before buying off a website you’re not usually on. If a website looks a little too fake, or the prices are too good to be true, don’t risk it.

” Make sure you also keep your anti-virus software completely up-to-date. Whether it’s on your mobile phone or your tablet or even on your home computer, make sure that’s up-to-date to make sure that security precaution is up-to-date as much as they can be, ” said Tyler Russell, with the Better Business Bureau.

It’s better to use a credit card rather than a debit card, Russell said. That’s because if something were to happen, you could try and dispute those charges instead of possibly losing all that money for good.

The BBB said on its website, they have a list of some trustworthy websites you can look at to make sure they’re safe to use.

Be wary of putting your birthday on some websites when shopping, too.

“It is a very important piece of information that scammers go and take and use for bad purposes,” Russell said.

Once you click that buy button, make sure you get a tracking number. That way you can track your package and make sure it gets to your home.

Be wary, though, as some scammers will send you an email posing to be a delivery service and ask you to click a link, when it’s fake. Always go to the actual delivery service’s website and put your tracking number in there.

You can also insure your items just in case they get lost, stolen or even broken.

” Another way, make sure that you get those packages is talk to your employer. A lot of employers out there are very comfortable with their employees being able to deliver their packages there to make sure they get them and make sure they don’t lose them, ” Russell said.

For some websites, you can also ask to sign when you get the package or make sure that person who is getting the package to sign it, too.

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