Staying Safe While Shopping from Home
Online shopping scams have a hefty price tag. Picture this: You find exactly what you’re shopping for online, and the price seems like a steal! Turns out, it is a steal—for the scammers. Don’t let scams break the bank. Check out these tips for shopping online safely.
Shop Smart Tips:
- Beware of incredible deals: Be cautious of prices that are significantly lower than market value. Scammers often lure victims with unbelievably low prices.
- Shop on trusted sites: Look for “https” in the URL and shop with retailers you know and trust.
- Read the reviews and refund policies: Before you buy, check what other buyers have to say about the products and the company. No reviews or all bad ones? Be cautious. Also read the retailer's return and refund policies before making a purchase. Avoid sellers with vague or no return policy.
- Avoid impulse buying: Scammers often create a false sense of urgency to get you to act before you think. Beware of sites that urge you to buy items quickly before they sell out.
- Secure your network: Avoid shopping on public Wi-Fi to protect your information.
- Use strong passwords: Create unique, hard-to-guess passwords for each online shopping account and enable multi-factor authentication.
- Review your accounts. Regularly reviewing your account statements and transaction history allows you to quickly report any unauthorized or suspicious activity immediately.
- Report suspicious activity: If you ever suspect any fraudulent activity or encounter a potential scam, please contact us immediately or visit your nearest F&M Bank office. We’re here to support you.
Protecting your financial information is our top priority. That’s why we invest in leading-edge security at F&M Bank. Together, we can defend against scammers. And with these tips in mind, you’ll feel free to go on shopping sprees without the worries.