Steering clear of scams on ‘Free Shipping Day’

Scammers see the holiday season as a perfect opportunity to con shoppers out of money and data. With promotional pre-Christmas sales taking place, and the looming one-day ‘Free Shipping Day’ about to start, consumers have to step up their cyber vigilance.

Many online shoppers are still focused on finding the best deals to complete their holiday shopping list in time for Christmas, and the promotion celebrated on December 14 offers yet another chance to defraud individuals.

Although Free Shipping Day has been mainly celebrated in the US and Canada, the commercial holiday has grown throughout the years, expanding both in European countries and Australia.

Scammers are also aware of this, so it’s important not to fall victim to crafty ruses that exploit the shopping frenzy by:

• Promoting copycat websites on social media platforms
• Delivering phony shipping emails and texts
• Sending out fake security alerts regarding your online accounts

Wednesday is Free Shipping Day! If you you’re planning an online shopping spree, follow these safety tips to protect your money and identity:

• Stop and think before you click on unsolicited links, suspicious attachments and social media ads
• Practice good cyber hygiene and protect accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication
• When making a purchase, use well-known and trustworthy online retailers only
• Never provide sensitive personally identifiable information when shopping
• Monitor your delivery and be wary of messages that warn of security issues regarding your purchase
• Always head to the official website of the retailer/delivery service to track your package
• Contact the online merchant or e-commerce platform whenever in doubt of any correspondence or offers
• Report any suspicious activity to the retailer and notify law enforcement if you become a victim

The holiday season is a busy time for consumers and retailers. Don’t get caught off guard by cybercrooks who want to ruin Christmas. Check out our all-in-one security solutions (Bitdefender Premium Security and Bitdefender Ultimate Security for US only) to benefit from multi-layered ransomware protection, anti-phishing and anti-fraud mechanisms alongside a dedicated Password Manager and Premium VPN to get full protection on all of your household devices.

If you need help focusing on the digital you, use a digital identity protection solution that will let you discover the extent of your online footprint. If your personal information has been exposed in a data breach or leak, it will also help you prevent damage.

Happy Holidays!