Shop with care this holiday season!

The cyber security firm Checkpoint reports a 178% increase in fake shopping sites that can steal your personal information and drain your bank account. According to the Better Business Bureau, online buying scams now make up more than a third of all reported scams. 

How can you shop safely?

• Buy from only reputable, online sites.
• Don’t click on enticing shopping links you receive in emails, especially if urgent action is required or if the price seems too good to be true (because it probably is).
• Use credit cards, which often come with more consumer protections, rather than debit cards.
• Never give your Social Security or driver’s license numbers to buy goods or services. If you feel like an agent is asking for too much information, go with your gut and stop the sale.
• Shop local! Be it a big-box store or the boutique on the corner, it’s safer to shop in person. Besides, local, brick-and-mortar small businesses rely on our business.