Scam Shopping Sites Are Out to Steal Your Money. Here’s How to Stay Safe This Season
Anyone who doesn't like online shopping can get up and leave. Now that we're all seated, we can all agree that shopping from the comfort of our phones is easy and a total blast. But is it safe?
Well, not so much. Online shopping scams are on a major rise. And cyber criminals? They’re working extra shifts to devise new ways to meet their malicious needs.
Has your data been hacked? Is your computer at risk? Run a scan and find out
Fake retail sites are a thing now.
Lately, we’ve seen a major spike in look-a-like shopping sites and fake online stores. How major? There was a 260% rise in scams and phishing sites last year alone, with over $300 million lost. These are fraudulent websites created to steal sensitive data like credit card details, names, and addresses, even from the most seasoned, pro-level shoppers.
“Could not recommend using Guardio enough. It’s a security system that blocks these fake sites in real-time”
Keep an eye out for too-good-to-be-true deals. A Louis Vuitton bag for $140? HA! Timberland boots for $34?! We think not.
So here’s the main issue - these sites are super easy to fall for. They’re almost indistinguishable from the original ones. They even seem legit to huge platforms like Facebook - which unknowingly accepts ads that end up sending you to these dangerous sites. T
Wait, so what can I do to stay safe?
1. Add a Security Tool Security extensions are essential these days. Guardio is a lightweight extension that lives on your browser, ferociously blocking sites that are marked as fraud and alerting before loading sites that are only a few days old. I strongly recommend adding this extension before buying anything else online.
2. Shop at Websites You Trust Fake sites usually have misspellings in the URL, so make sure to check the address and don’t enter sites that use domains other than .com.
3. If It's Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is This statement is super relevant when you’re bargain hunting. If a website is offering an unbelievable deal on something, that should set off red flags.
4. Avoid Giving Away too Much Information (and look for the lock symbol) Before entering your personal or financial information into any site, you should check that the site you are on is legitimate and can be trusted. Look for the "lock" symbol in the URL bar and ensure "https" is in the beginning, indicating that encryption is used to protect your data.
5. Don't Save Your Information While Shopping Never save usernames, passwords, or credit card information in your browser, and periodically clear your offline content, cookies, and history.
Shopping online can and should be fun. But being aware of digital dangers is always essential. Look for any warning signs we mentioned, get an online protection tool to be entirely safe, and enjoy the holiday season!
Stay safe this holiday season with Guardio. Start a free trial now
Here is what people like you are saying about Guardio:
"Since I've had Guardio looking out for my system, I've had far less worries about threats to my PC. It's a good feeling not to be concerned about hackers, virus's and other such impediments to a healthy system.."
Toni
"Guardio always warns of dangerous websites. They also let family use it, grand daughter in college is also protected. I would give them 5 stars."
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"I really like having Guardio on my computer. It has saved me several times from loading questionable sites on my computer. This is the first time in many years that I have had a program like this on my computer. Just wish I'd known about this sooner."
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"Guardio Runs in the background like a silent sentry, only springing into protective action only when needed. Good product!"