Protection tips for holiday cyber shopping

TYLER — As Cyber Monday and online holiday shopping ramp up, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reminding East Texans to take steps to shop safely online. DPS Chief Information Officer Jessica Ballew says the high volume of shoppers during the holidays creates prime opportunities for online scams.

“Scammers count on people being distracted, rushing to make purchases, or simply losing track of what they’ve bought,” Ballew said. She adds that taking a few extra seconds to verify a website, use a secure connection or check for trust seals can help protect your data from being compromised.

Our news partner KETK recommends shopping with trusted sources and well-known retailers, and avoiding unsolicited links sent through emails, texts or online ads. Scammers may promote fake websites with deals that seem too good to be true or send fake package-tracking messages. DPS advises shoppers to watch for odd formatting or subtle spelling errors.

Additional safety measures include avoiding public Wi-Fi and ensuring websites are secure, often indicated by “https://” in the address bar before entering personal information.

Using digital wallets, virtual card numbers, strong passwords and multi-factor authentication can further safeguard personal data. Shoppers are also encouraged to monitor their bank and credit card accounts for suspicious or unauthorized activity.

DPS said that while they remain committed to protecting Texans online, practicing good cyber hygiene can help ensure a safe, stress-free holiday shopping season.