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Beating the scammers on Cyber Monday

Page Last Updated: Monday November 30, 2009 11:13am PST

Calli Fisher-News 4

Aggressive discounts, Web-exclusive deals and plenty of free shipping offers are expected to lure millions of Americans to the Internet on Cyber Monday.

"I love doing my online shopping because there are a lot of sales, more so online than at the stores sometimes," shopper Tina Molenda said.

While many people like online shopping because of the convenience, scam artists can also easily hide behind the computer and just wait for your personal information.

"It's relatively secure, as long as you know what you are doing and you know what to look for," Dennis Huggins, a manager for the Geek Squad at Best Buy in Reno, said.

Huggins showed News 4 several ways to make sure you are protecting your money and identity while shopping online.

Conducting purchases on a secure Web site is one of the most important things to look at, Huggins said.

Here's how you can check: When looking at a Web site, the URL will start with "http." But Huggins says it should change to "https" when you make a payment. If there is no "s," it's a red flag.

"It could mean you have a virus on the computer that's actually taking you to a different Web site that's designed to emulate the original site so that would be a huge potential for fraud and for identity theft," Huggins said.

He says you can also use a virtual keyboard, which comes on most computers. The tool looks like a small keyboard that pops up on the screen. You then use the mouse to click on the letters and numbers to type.

Some, like Huggins, say the virtual keyboard makes it harder for hackers to record and store what you type, like passwords and credit card numbers.

However, the virtual keyboard is a point of contention among some computer security experts. Some say your key strokes will still be able to be recorded through the virtual keyboard because it uses the same system to type.

Here are several other safety tips:
-Make sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware software is up to date.
-Never give out your bank account number or your social security number.
-Look out for spam emails and attachments. Do not open the email if you do not know where it comes from.
-Check your bank statements to make sure the charges are yours. If you notice anything unusual, call your bank immediately.

According to the National Retail Federation, online holiday shopping has risen 11 percent since Thanksgiving Day. Retailers are offering big discounts in an effort to curtail low Black Friday sales. Some examples include:

- Bestbuy.com: Slashing prices on nine electronics
- Target.com: Prices of five items in "Daily Deals" section reduced as low as 70 % with free shipping
- J.C. Penney (JCP.com): More than 30,000 items on Cyber Monday sale
- Walmart.com: Extending Cyber Monday through the week to "Cyber Week", offering five days of discounts on more than 100 gifts

NRF recommends shoppers visit www.cybermonday.com for a list of deals. The site updates hourly with online retailers "biggest bargains."

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