As we get ready for holiday shopping in many parts of the world, I thought that this was a good time to bring up some of the top holiday shopping safety tips. Here's a quick list of 10 reminders for safe shopping:

1. Plan ahead. Have a general idea of what you want to buy and create a list of items you are looking to buy and sources you want to visit.

2. Consolidate your shopping. Once you have a prepared list with a general idea of what you want to buy, you can visit a site or store that offers the majority of the items you are looking for. This way, you make one transaction and share less of your personal information such as credit card info.

3. Use the same credit card for most purchases as much as possible. Don’t carry all your credit cards with you. When you carry fewer cards, you will know when the card is missing, you can more easily monitor transactions, and, you will have less work when you lose your wallet.

4. Shop from a company site you can trust. Look for the lock sign on the website or HTTPS in the beginning of the web address (URL).

5. Don’t click email links. If you must visit a company website, type in the complete address in your browser such as www.123compny.com. There are plenty of email scams luring consumers with fake online deals to empty their accounts.

6. Don’t leave your stuff in the car while shopping.

7. Fill up your gas tank fully and reduce the number of your transactions by unnecessarily filling up gas multiple times.

8. Pay cash for small items or use gift cards. Small amount items like coffee are not worth risking your credit cards.

9. Keep your stuff safe from pickpocketing by placing them in front of you.

10. Notify your bank immediately when you notice your card is missing or detect fraud. Some people may look for their missing cards for days and can be at a greater risk.

Until next time, enjoy the holidays and be identity safe,
Henry Bagdasarian
Identity Management Institute

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