With after Christmas sales around the corner, and last minute shopping frantically happening online, consumers need to be cautious about where they are shopping and what sites they are visiting.
In Western Montana, local police departments have seen a rise in reported identity theft cases. The wave has not hit eastern Montana yet, but there are some things that on-line shoppers can do to make sure it doesn't.
Tammy Nealy is an identity theft risk management specialist with LifeLock. She says there are a few important rules to follow when shopping online.
1. Never click on a link from an email. Instead, type in the the url into the address bar of your internet browser. Scammers will have cloned sites with misleading urls that a consumer may not realize are fake.
The sites will look like the real site, will allow a shopper to put items in a cart, and ask for check-out information including your credit card number. The similarity stops there. The consumer will not receive their products and they have given their personal information and credit card number to a thief.
2. If a legitimate merchant has an email special, they will send a promo code that can be entered at check out. You will not be confined to clicking a specific link to receive the discount or special offer.
3. If you are googling for a product not available locally and are not familiar with a company offering a product, check the company out with the better business bureau before purchasing.
4. If you are the victim of identity theft, contact your local law enforcement immediately.
Listen to the full interview with Tammy Nealy to the left of this column for more great ideas to protect yourself online.
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