3 Easy Ways to Make Sure You are Safe When Online Shopping
These days we all rely on fast and convenient online shopping more than ever before. So what does this mean for our online safety? According to Stats Canada, in 2019 one-fifth of the Canadian business population was impacted by a cyber security incident. While you shouldn’t quit online shopping, it is important you are protecting your private information.
Make sure to check out our other tips about keeping digital business documents safe and keep reading for three tips to keep you safe when shopping online!
Create strong passwords.
It is often convenient to make an account on your favourite shopping sites. Since these accounts store your personal information, you want to create the strongest password possible. Make sure it is long, switches between upper and lower case letters, uses numbers and symbols, is a made up word or phrase and has no personal information. It is also important to change your passwords regularly and avoid repeating them across multiple sites. If that seems overwhelming, try a Password Manager! .
2. Make sure you are on a trusted network and wifi.
Once you’ve realized you need to order something, it can be tempting to order as fast as possible so you don’t forget to! But, before you start filling in your personal information, make sure you check that you are on a trusted shopping site and the right wifi. To check if the site is safe, look for a little padlock symbol in the url bar. Then, make sure you are on a private wifi connection. Once you have checked both, you are good to move forward with entering your private information!
3. Double check what you click.
When scrolling through your favourite social media site, you might get a targeted advertisement. While it can be tempting to click on the amazing deal, it is not recommended. Instead, go directly to the website and make sure the offer is real. Doing this quick step will keep you safe and still get great sales!
Using these tips means you can shop online and not be worried about your privacy! Don’t forget to make sure you are still shredding any physical documents you received with your orders! Receipts, mail, and shipping labels can all contain private information that should be shredded! We’re always happy to help so feel free to connect with us at info@merlinshredding.com.