Microsoft shares some tips to make sure the holiday season doesn't bring you misfortune.
Whether you plan ahead or shop against the clock, the festive period is a lavish time for e-commerce shopping. Unsurprisingly and in a pandemic context with more restrictions around the world, according to the latest Microsoft survey, conducted by YouGov, this year 63% of Christmas shopping will be done online.
Recently released data from INE (Statistics Portugal) shows that in the last three months of this year, 40.4% of the Portuguese, between 16 and 74 years old, shopped online, and this indicator is expected to rise as we get closer to Christmas.
Price and availability of products are the most important issues for consumers. Price tops the list for 69% of people and availability is the deciding factor for 53%. The fact that consumers are concerned about receiving their purchases on time leads 54% of people to assume that supply chain and distribution issues are important to consider.
On the other hand, less than half of the respondents (48%) consider security and protection of their personal data as a priority when shopping online. 61% of consumers report having been a victim of fraudulent purchases, but most scams are avoidable.
Given this scenario, Microsoft shares some simple and useful tips to ensure safe online shopping this holiday season.
Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true
At this time, online scams become more frequent and sophisticated, capitalizing on consumers' concerns about product availability and delivery time. The survey results show that one in four consumers admitted to having already purchased an item that did not match the description made online. If you received a dubious email, before clicking, hover your cursor over all the links to confirm that the address matches what is mentioned in the message. Look for spelling errors, extra letters or other suspicious signs. If in doubt, go directly to the buyer's website and confirm that the offer is true.
Dispense with passwords
Weak passwords are the gateway to most attacks, averaging 579 attacks every second. Whenever possible, remove your password completely and choose a more secure authentication alternative.
Use Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)
If someone tries to log into your account, Multifactor Authentication notifies you with a message, email or other chosen method, preventing the access attempt. Multifactor Authentication can block more than 99% of attacks on passwords.
Use free and trusted tools
Microsoft Edge offers several free features to keep you protected when you shop online. If any of your saved logins are compromised, Password Monitor will notify you, allowing you to quickly change your password with Microsoft Edge's new Easy Update feature. Password Generator automatically generates a strong, unique password suggestion whenever you need it.
These are some simple tips that can help make online Christmas shopping safer, but more important is to remain vigilant throughout the year - #BeCyberSmart.
The YouGov study was conducted on a sample of 2,100 adults, aged 18+, between November 3 and 5 in the US.
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