Safe Shopping Online
It has long been known that the infamous “Black Friday” after Thanksgiving is the biggest sales day of the year. The not so historical counterpart of this pseudo holiday – Cyber Monday – is only recently beginning to get the hype many believe it deserves. The day is based around the same concept as Black Friday, the only difference being that all the sales are online. Participants don’t have to worry about long lines, the scarcity of parking, or wading through mobs of discount-hungry consumers, so as long as the sales online are equally attractive, shoppers don’t mind paying the additional shipping costs, which are often marked down as well.
WWLP News did a short segment on safely shopping online before the holiday, but since many attractive sales are still available and overall consumer purchases stay high throughout the holiday season, it can’t hurt to reiterate. It is important to understand that there is a whole brand of thieves out there specific to Internet operations, and while the old-fashioned pickpocket bandit may have made a living off physical prowl, this new breed of criminal specializes in deceit and fraudulent claims.
First off, there are imitation sites out there that are purely created to steal money and don’t actually sell anything at all. WWLP suggests only making purchases from companies that are well know and reputable, as clicking down a path of enticing links can often lead to a scam. A warning from Consumer Affairs states that emails with links to sales may appear to be from legitimate, well-known companies, but can be pure imitation attempts. An easy precaution to take is to read an email, and then go to the site yourself and check out the validity of the sale.
It is always responsible to take precautionary measures to protect your family and self. Often times however, misfortune is unforeseeable and the only precaution that can be taken is ensuring you have appropriate coverage. Talk with an agent about any personal insurance or business insurance needs.
And remember, at Encharter, “It’s all about protecting you!”
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