Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made it easier than ever for criminals create realistic-looking retail websites. In the stress and flurry of online holiday shopping, it can be hard to know which sites are safe to buy from and which aren’t. 

Shop safe this holiday season by following these easy tips!  

1. Make sure the sites you’re using are reputable. Before buying from a new online retailer, try verifying the site with these best practices:
   1. Look for a padlock symbol in your address bar when you visit a site. This means that the site uses encryption to protect your data.
   2. Send the company an e-mail to make sure they have an active e-mail address. If the site doesn’t offer any contact information at all, that’s a red flag.
   3. Type the URL for the site directly into the address bar, instead of clicking on a link. This prevents you accidentally going to a fake or malicious site.
      
2. Pay with credit cards. If your card information is stolen, most credit card companies allow payment disputes and may be able to recover your funds.
   
   
3. Check the prices. If the price of an item is significantly better than similar items on other sites, it’s probably too good to be true.
   
4. Stay away from public Wi-Fi. When you use a public network to make purchases, cybercriminals can easily intercept your data, passwords, login details and financial information like your credit card number. 

To learn more about how to keep your information safe and secure on the web, check out our Security Tips.