As the holiday shopping season approaches everyone should be on the lookout for holiday shopping scams. Be aware of those “too good to be true” spam and scams from suspicious sites, phishing emails, or online ads offering items at inconceivable discounts. Threat actors have gotten good at disguising their campaigns to fit in with the legitimate messages and use the hustle and bustle of the shopping season to hope we don’t notice their scams.

To safely shop online, remember:

• Be aware of the retailer’s URL.
• Take time to read credible/legitimate reviews before visiting an unfamiliar site.
• Do not access retail sites via ads or pop ups.
• Check the safety or reputation of a website by using Google's Transparency Report tool.
• Shop from a secure device to protect your information.
• Don’t shop on public Wi-Fi and never enter financial information when using it.
• Use credit cards rather than debit cards when shopping online.
• Regularly review your financial statements.

Lastly, your bank will NEVER EVER ask you to verify account credentials or personal information via an unsolicited email, text, or cold call. If you didn’t initiate the communication, call your financial institution from the number directly from its website, your card, or prior contact. Read more at Tripwire.