With millions of Canadians gearing up for the digital shopping bonanza of Cyber Monday, tech expert Marc Saltzman has some simple tips for protecting your personal information online.
Look for the lock
Saltzman says it's important to make sure a website is secure before you type in your credit card information. That means checking for a lock icon in the website's address bar, or making sure that the web address reads "https" before the website name. That "S" means it's safe, he said. "Only then should you give your credit card number out to buy anything," Saltzman told CTV News Channel on Sunday.
Be wary of app scams
Saltzman recommends a little due diligence before downloading any app onto your smartphone, so you can be sure it's not a trick to steal your credit card information. Check when the app was posted on the Apple App Store or Google Play, because scam apps don't last long on those services. And if it is new, check the comments section to see what others are saying about it.
"Never be the first person to download a new app," Saltzman said. He added that it's alright to trust the apps that are already on your phone, because they won't suddenly get hijacked.
Don't shop on public Wi-Fi
Never use a free wireless connection to do your online shopping, because "digital eavesdroppers" can easily connect to the same network and steal your information. These open networks are safe for checking email or browsing the internet, but you should never use them for shopping or banking online, he said.
Saltzman recommends waiting to shop until you're back on your home network or using your data plan for those purposes.
Never send a cheque or cash in the mail
If you're buying online, pay online. Never send payment by mail because there's no way to protect yourself from being ripped off once you've sent your money.
Credit cards and PayPal are safer because they offer buyer protection, Saltzman said. "Definitely stay with a secure payment method," he said.
