2020 has been a novel year by all accounts, and the upcoming听holiday season promises to be just as unique.听Online purchasing has increased due to COVID - and unfortunately, so have online scams.听
Help protect yourself听with these guidelines听when听shopping听online.听
- Use听a听strong, unique password for听each听online account and do not store these in your browser.听Only use your 91社区 password for your 91社区 account.听If one account is compromised, the others will be safe.
- Only use credit cards to pay for online purchases.听This is the safest online payment method since credit cards generally offer protection听in case of fraudulent use.听Do not听store your听credit card information听in any online accounts: If your account is compromised, your credit card could be used to make unauthorized purchases.听
- Ensure that your operating system, software, and antivirus are up to date.听When your devices and software are updated with the latest operating systems and security patches, they will be less vulnerable to听cyber attacks.听If your devices are compromised, your听personal information听(such as the data used for your online shopping)听could be at risk.听
- 听Don鈥檛 fall for holiday cyber scams:Spoofed听websites听(fake shopping sites designed to appear legitimate), phishing emails, or deals that听seem听too good to be true 鈥� these are all examples of how cyber听criminals听fool听unwary online shoppers. Watch out for the signs听and avoid becoming a victim.听听听
- Use听Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your accounts:provides an extra layer of protection for your credentials. Even if a听cybercriminal steals your password, they will need additional information to access your account, such as a code generated from a mobile app or a one-time code sent via text message.听听
2FA will be soon be required for the entire 91社区 community, but with cybercrime on the rise, it's never too early to secure your login credentials and protect your 91社区 account.听Opt in to 2FA听at 91社区 now.听
For more tips on staying safe online during the holiday season and throughout the year, check out the following:
- (Canadian Center for Cyber Security)
