Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the busiest shopping days of the year, and deal seekers are preparing to make their moves. These shopping ‘holidays’ bring ample opportunity for cybercriminals to take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers. Check out our tips on how to stay safe while online shopping this holiday season.

Be wary of emails asking you to confirm login credentials or account information.

Emails of this nature often look legitimate and can appear to come from large organizations that send frequent emails, like Amazon. They might ask you to confirm your login credentials through a link and seem to be very real, but these are actually phishing emails used to gain access to your personal information. Always check to be sure that the sender’s email address is spelled correctly and does not look suspicious. If you are still unsure, call the organization to confirm.

Don’t click on links from shipping notifications that you weren’t expecting.

 Cybercriminals are sending phony shipping notifications with links that include malicious attachments. If you aren’t expecting a package from a carrier, do not click on a link in a shipping notification.

 Stay away from ads on social media claiming to have extremely discounted merchandise for sale.

 Scammers often claim to have known brand name items for sale at unbelievably low prices through social media ads. When a shopper clicks the ad, they are sent to an illegitimate website. After making a purchase on these sites, cybercriminals have access to their personal and financial information.

We know that you’re in a hurry to snag the hottest deals, but we urge you to stay vigilant. Protect yourself and your personal information this holiday season.