If you hate crowds and the hustle and bustle of shopping in your local mall, then you are probably already familiar with online shopping. Whether you choose an online auction site, a website of a major retailer you can also visit in person, or a web-only retailer, online shopping promises convenience, potential time savings and the ease of being able to purchase your holiday gifts with the click of a mouse or a touch of your finger.
With more retailers offering apps for your smartphone or tablet every day, it is important to take some precautions to keep your information secure:
- Use a strong PIN or password on your device. Many shopping apps will save your login and credit card information for you, so it is easier for you to make future purchases. However, if your smartphone or tablet is lost or stolen, that means the thieves may also be able to go on a shopping spree on your credit card, in addition to accessing any other information you store on your device. You can lower the risk of this happening by using a password or PIN that is not easy for others to guess. You can also enable device tracking on your phone such as “Find my iPhone” in case it is lost or stolen.
- Keep your device up-to-date. Both the software for your device and any mobile apps you use may be updated frequently. Sometimes these updates just make the app or device easier to use, but updates frequently include patches for security vulnerabilities. Install updates whenever they are available to make sure you have the highest available security when shopping online with your device.
- Check retailer’s terms. Before purchasing through your mobile device or online, make sure you are comfortable with the seller’s return and refund policies, and with their shipping costs and delivery times, so there are no surprises.
- Avoid public Wi-Fi when shopping. When you use a public Wi-Fi network, information you type and send could be accessed and used maliciously by others. It’s always best to avoid public Wi-Fi when you are entering login or credit card information into mobile apps or websites.
To learn more about shopping safely with your credit or debit card, see our recent blog post Credit Card/Debit Card Safety Tips.
If you would like to apply for a Mercer Savings Bank Visa Platinum credit card, you can do that online here. To find out for yourself why residents in Celina, Ft. Recovery, Greenville and the surrounding areas have relied on Mercer Savings Bank for more than 125 years as their trusted community bank, visit any of our branches or contact us online today.
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