Research conducted by Gallup in the run up to last year’s holiday season revealed some telling facts about gift-buying habits in the US. An incredible 80 percent of Americans said they would buy some of their festive gifts online, while almost half said they would purchase “most or all” of their gifts from online sellers.
It is a statistic that has been steadily rising over the past decade. But the escalation in online gift shopping does not just mean buyers can shop with convenience and ecommerce sites can boost their sales. It is also a shining beacon of opportunity for scammers and online fraudsters. Online gift shopping spikes during holiday season and t the same time, instances of cybercrime go up by as much as 40 percent. The following simple measures can help everyone to buy gifts online confidently and safely
Use legitimate online gift sellers
It takes a matter of minutes for scammers to create bogus gift websites to trick customers into making purchases. This might be to take payments for goods that are substandard or that never arrive at all, or to steal personal data. Make sure you only shop from established and trustworthy sellers. For example, Lucasgift is a web-based gift shop but still has a tangible US presence with real people behind it.
A few simple checks can soon establish the veracity of an online seller. In the above example, shoppers can read about the company and its officers, including a real US street address. There are also transparent policies regarding customer privacy and refunds for gifts that they buy want decide to return. If you are still in doubt about a particular gift seller, check independent third party sources of customer reviews, such as Google and TrustPilot.
Use a secure connection and password
Even when you use a reputable seller to buy gifts, there is a risk of the transaction being intercepted by a cybercriminal. The biggest vulnerability is not usually at the seller’s side but the buyer’s. Avoid shopping for gifts online using public WiFi unless you are certain it is secure.
The other vulnerability in this area concerns passwords. Don’t be tempted to use the same password for all accounts, as if one is breached, it leaves all doors open. As long as you are using your own laptop or phone, it is far safer to use the highly complex passwords that are automatically suggested and allow the browser to remember them.
Protect vulnerable shoppers
Data gathered by Fox 28 suggests that this December, 84 percent of Americans will be shopping online, at least to some extent, to buy gifts for friends and loved ones. That equates to practically everyone over the age of 15. That comes as no surprise, online shopping is no longer the exclusive domain of younger generations. The events of 2020/21 saw a sharp upturn in older Americans embracing technology, and recent surveys show that more than 80 percent of seniors are open to embracing new technology.
But just as house breakers search for homes that are easy targets, so cybercriminals focus on vulnerable targets. These are over-75s and, perhaps surprisingly, those aged under 25, who are 84 percent more likely to be affected by online fraud than those in the 25-35 bracket.
Avoid card payments where possible
For optimum security when gift shopping, it makes sense to minimize the number of times you share your payment card details online. A good way of doing this is to avoid card payments whenever possible. Instead, use a payment intermediary, for example Google Pay, Apple Pay or PayPal.
This has the effect of adding an extra security buffer, as the intermediary processes the payment for the gift you are buying and then takes the funds from your card. So there is far less risk of your personal data being captured in the event of a seller’s systems being hacked. After all, as the recent Home Depot incident demonstrates, it can happen to anyone.
