Safe Shopping Tips for the Holiday Season

According to statistics compiled by http://www.identitytheft911.com/, two to four identity theft crimes are reported every hour of the winter holiday shopping season.

“The annual holiday shopping season is a peak time for identity theft, so it’s critical that consumers be on high alert and educate themselves in order to help reduce the risk of becoming victims,” said Adam Levin, chairman, Identity Theft 911, which offers ID theft resolution services.

His company offered these tips for safer holiday shopping:

* When shopping online, look for a small “padlock” icon in the browser, which means the site has been verified to be secure.
* Use credit cards instead of debit cards.
* Keep credit card numbers secret. Don’t store credit card and personal information in any online accounts
* Check bank and credit card statements and accounts every day to make sure each transaction is legitimate. Remember that shopping Web sites have no reason to ask for Social Security numbers or passwords, so never provide them.
* Never send payment information via e-mail.
* Don’t use automated teller machines that are in secluded areas. They are more likely to be equipped with card readers than an ATM in or near a bank.