Tis The Season to Be Very Careful of Online Shopping Scams and Identity Theft
According to a survey by the non-profit National Cyber Security Alliance a substantial number of American consumers may not be rushing to shop online this holiday season due to the alarming rate of identity theft and credit card fraud. Christmas is that time of year when there is a significant rise in cybercrime that’s associated with online shopping.
NCSA retained Zogby International to conduct an online survey of 3,498 U.S. adults, a sample size representative of the U.S. population, with a margin of error of +/- 1.7%. The poll found:
- 64% of respondents have not made an online purchase from a specific website because of cybersecurity concerns.
- 60% said it was because they were not sure if the specific web site was secure.
- 51.4% expressed worry about providing the information requested.
- 48.4% felt a website requested more information than was necessary for the transaction.
“The Internet is a fabulous, convenient resource for gift-givers to get a jump start on their holiday shopping and bargain hunting, but people need to stay aware and alert about the risks,” said NCSA Executive Director Michael Kaiser. “If there is any doubt about the security or authenticity of a website, hold off making the purchase.”
Despite rising consumer concerns, the poll also found:
- 69.3% of respondents researched potential purchases over the Internet.
- 68% do make purchases online.
- 62.4% make online bill payments.
- 38% buy goods from online auction sites.
More Americans than ever are shopping from their mobile phones: 8% of respondents said they make online bill payments from their cell phones, up from 4% last year, while 16% research potential purchases from their phones, up from 9% in 2009.
“Businesses should take note: online customers are looking to make purchases where they see signs that a website is secure, have a clear understanding of how information collected about them is going to be used, and only information necessary to the transaction is being collected,” Kaiser added. “Online shoppers are being smarter and safer online, and that’s good for everyone.”
Please make sure to take measures to check site policies and security measures before purchasing. Look for the certificates that verify a site’s security such a “BBB” and “Verisign”. Even then scammers have ways to pray on consumers at the point of checkout on eCommerce sites. Some retailers will even offer identity theft protection to there shoppers to help them fight and prevent fraud during their shopping experience.