Safety Tips for Seniors Who Shop Online

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more seniors have started shopping online. With this somewhat forced introduction to the world of online shopping, seniors have increasingly become comfortable with the practice, and 47% of seniors say they will continue to shop online post-pandemic. 

As more seniors have been and will continue to be online shopping, it is important to remember online safety. Below we have highlighted some safety tips for seniors who shop online:

Create Secure Passwords

Just as passwords are an easy way to keep your information safe as you online shop or use the Internet in general, they also provide the easiest way to steal someone’s information if not set up and monitored correctly. To avoid this, it is important to be smart about your passwords. Here are some password safety tips:

• Create a strong password- over eight characters with uppercase letters, lowercase letters, number, and symbols. Avoid using your name within your password.
• Change your password periodically- While your password may be strong, you should change it monthly to keep it secure. Set a date each month for changing your passwords.
• Use different passwords- Although it may be easiest to have the same password for every account, this is dangerous. If one of your accounts were to be compromised and all your other accounts have the same password, this could lead to all of your accounts getting hacked.

Shop Secure Websites

Shop from secure retailers only. If the website URL starts at ‘https’, the website is secure. An easy way to remember this is that the ‘s’ stands for secure. Additionally, if the site asks for your CVC code when you enter your payment information for an order, that means the site is secure. 

Use Credit Card, not Debit Card

If someone obtains your debit card information, they can steal money directly from you, make purchases that withdraw money right away, and it overall is more difficult to resolve debit card fraud than credit card fraud. Therefore, use your credit card to shop online, not your debit card.

Check Statements Regularly

Be sure to check your bank statements regularly. The sooner you identify any possible fraudulent activity, the easier it is to resolve it.

Don’t Overshare

When you shop online, do your best to avoid sharing any unnecessary information. An online retailer does not need your Social Security number to do business. Additionally, if something is not required, avoid filling it in. Major websites have breaching issues all the time, so it is best to share as little personal information as possible.

Don’t Save Card Information on Websites

It may be tempting to save your card payment information on a website to make future purchases easier, but it is not a good idea. If a website is breached or someone hacks your account, they will then have access to your payment information. Just stick to entering your card information each time you make a purchase.