We’ve made it to the end of the year! You’re probably getting ready to kick your feet up and relax… after getting your holiday shopping done of course. With cyber-attacks and on-line fraud spiking during the festive season, it’s important to stay vigilant when you’re online.
How to stay safe online
The best way to protect yourself against scams is to adopt some general security precautions, which can deter a lot of cyber-crime. We’ve also prepared some tips that can keep you safe when shopping online over the festive season:
- A good rule of thumb in identifying phishing messages is if something is too good to be true, it’s probably a scam
- Keep track of any competitions/lucky draws you enter, so that if you receive a message stating you’ve won something you’ll be able to better identify if it’s a scam or not
- Always make sure to check the sender’s email address, not just the subject line or contents of the email. For example, if you were to receive a legitimate email from a government department, such as the ATO, the email address should end in gov.au, not gmail.com or yahoo.com
- Use strong passwords and enable multifactor authentication if offered. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts/websites, and change them periodically
- Watch out for lookalike sites. Main signs of a fake website include prices that are too good to be true, an unusual payment method, a misspelled URL, or a lack of privacy policy and/or contact details. Fake websites often won’t include terms and conditions or a returns policy either!
- While phishing attacks can be generic and won’t include any of your details, they have become more personalised and convincing. Instead of clicking on links in the message, it can be safer to look the website up online and go directly there
- Be cautious of parcel delivery emails or texts which may not be genuine, even if you are expecting a delivery. Make sure to check the tracking number in the message and make sure it’s the right delivery before clicking through.
- Regularly install operating system updates and use anti-virus software. If you don’t already have anti-virus software, make sure you do some research and find a reputable provider. Pop-up ads offering anti-virus software are a popular scam, so be sure not to click on those links
- Be wary of sponsored Facebook ads. These can often be scams, particularly if they advertise closing-down sales
- Think twice about entering your details into websites that are not reputable or you are unsure of, or replying to messages or emails you suspect may be phishing messages
- If you have unauthorised transactions on your account or have provided your personal details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately
What is phishing?
Phishing is one of the most common forms of cyber-attacks and can be tricky to avoid. Phishing happens when someone sends you an email pretending to be a legitimate company or person in order to get your personal information.
Some other terms you might hear are smishing, which occurs when you receive a text message from a scammer, or vishing, which happens when you receive a scam call.
These phishing messages will often try to get their victims to click on an unsafe link or provide personal information, such as their card or account details. Scammers will often impersonate well known companies or organisations, such as the Government, Australia Post, or a popular online shop. While phishing can occur throughout the year scammers will often up their game during the holiday season, when everyone is looking for a good sale or waiting for a package.
Want to learn more about common cyber attacks and online scams? Keep reading for more information.
Other online shopping scams
A common cyber-attack is the classic pop-up window- an advertisement or message that pops up when you visit a website. These pop ups can be advertising anything from anti-virus protection to designer shoes, and may send you to an unsafe website if you click on them.
Another scam rising in popularity is the advertisement of a fake online retailer. This type of cyber-crime has become very popular on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook, with scammers advertising luxury or exclusive items at very low prices.
In these types of scams victims may not ever receive the items they bought. If they do, they will often be a much lower quality than advertised or a different product, and shipping may take a very long time. These advertisers may limit or prevent commenting on their posts, making it difficult to identify if they are scams or not.
While it is important to take extra care during the festive season, scammers work year-round. Before you get ready to celebrate the end of the year, take some time to review your online safety and make sure your accounts are protected. Happy shopping!
This article is intended to provide general information of an educational nature only. Information in this article is current as at the date of publication.