What is the most wonderful time of year for some is also the busiest time of year for online scammers.
Use these 5 tips to avoid getting tricked into turning over personal or financial information while shopping online during the holiday season.
- Protect your computer: Always install the latest updates and run up-to-date anti-virus software to help protect yourself online.
- Strengthen your accounts: Use a strong, unique password for each of your online accounts. Visit go.rowan.edu/password for tips. Also, whenever possible, enable extra security measures, such as two-factor authentication, to help protect your accounts.
- Don’t shop on public WiFi: It may be tempting to get shopping done while connected to a public WiFi network — even one that requires a password — in a local coffee shop or restaurant, but you could expose your data while doing so. Only conduct online financial transactions on networks you know are secure.
- Use credit cards for online shopping: If possible, use credit cards for online transactions, rather than debit cards. Credit cards provide better protection in the event fraud does occur.
- Keep tabs on your financial statements: Regularly review your credit card statements to identify suspicious charges, especially after you used your cards to make many online purchases or used a new site.
If you have any questions, please contact the Technology Support Center at 856-256-4400, or log in to support.rowan.edu and click Get Help.