Online Shopping Safety Tips

 

Happy #CyberMonday! As you are looking for hot deals remember to stay safe!

According to statistics from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), Real Estate is the second most targeted industry for cyber-attacks. The FBI reported almost $150 million in real estate related fraud in 2018, with scams aimed at the industry rising more than 1,000 percent since 2015. Because of the sheer size of the real estate landscape, the number of transactions, and the dollar value they represent, industry professionals, clients, and companies are all prime targets.

WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT, ESCROW OFFICER OR LOAN OFFICER!

We can’t say it enough: if you receive a communication, demand, or request for information from someone other than your trusted Real Estate Agent, contact ME immediately. I pride myself in being educated on the latest schemes in our local market and can help you navigate your transaction safely.

Online Shopping Tips

  • Think before you click: Beware of ads encouraging users to click on links. If you receive an enticing offer, do not click on the link. Instead, go directly to the company’s website to verify the offer is legitimate.
  • Do your homework: Fraudsters are fond of setting up fake e-commerce sites. Prior to making a purchase, read reviews to hear what others say about the merchant. In addition, look for a physical location and any customer service information. It’s also a good idea to call the merchant to confirm that they are legitimate.
  • Consider your payment options: Using a credit card is much better than using a debit card; there are more consumer protections for credit cards if something goes awry. Or, you can use a third-party payment service instead of your credit card. There are many services you can use to pay for purchases – like Google Pay — without giving the merchant your credit card information directly.
  • Watch what you give away: Be alert to the kinds of information being collected to complete your transaction. If the merchant is requesting more data than you feel comfortable sharing, cancel the transaction. You only need to fill out the required fields at checkout and you should not save your payment information in your profile. If the account autosaves it after the purchase goes in and delete the stored payment details. 
  • Keep tabs on your bank and credit card statements: Be sure to continuously check your accounts for any unauthorized activity. Good recordkeeping goes hand-in-hand with managing your cybersecurity. Another tip for monitoring activity is to set up alerts so that if your credit card is used, you will receive an email or text message with the transaction details.

Basic Safety and Security Tips

  • Keep a clean machine: Keep a clean machine. Be sure that all internet-connected devices ‒ including PCs, smartphones, and tablets ‒ are free from malware and infections by running only the most current versions of software and apps.
  • Lock Down Your Login: Create long and unique passphrases for all accounts and use multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible. MFA will fortify your online accounts by enabling the strongest authentication tools available, such as biometrics or a unique one-time code sent to your phone or mobile device.
  • Use a secure Wi-Fi: Using public Wi-Fi to shop online while at your favorite coffee shop is tremendously convenient, but it is not cyber safe. Don’t make purchases via public Wi-Fi; instead, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or your phone as a hotspot.



#RealEstateSafety #CyberFraud #ProtectYourFinancialInformation #YourRealEstateExpert #TucsonRealEstate #YourAgent #RealEstate #DontGetFooled

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