Northwest Bank shares best practices for fraud protection and cybersecurity this holiday shopping season

Submitted by Northwest Bank

According to Norton’s 2023 Holiday Cyber Safety Insights Report, online shopping scams are the most commonly reported scam during the holiday season, with victims losing an average of $1,500 during the holidays. One of the most prevalent online shopping scams includes fake shopping websites. These websites work by stealing consumer’s financial information or scamming buyers into spending money on products that will never arrive.

“Security is a high priority for our customers here at Northwest,” said Lance Spencer, chief information security officer at Northwest Bank. “As online shopping continues to grow in popularity, it’s vital that we educate consumers on how to protect themselves against costly scams – especially during the busy holiday shopping season.”

Northwest recommends the following best practices when shopping online to ensure a safe holiday season:

•Double-check the URL. Often, fake websites have domain names that mimic those of popular sites, but with slight variations. Before clicking on a link, look closely at the domain name for typos, dashes or other symbols. Also, ensure that the URL begins with “https”.

•Investigate unfamiliar retailers. Before purchasing from an unfamiliar retailer, consider researching the business to determine if they are legitimate. Additionally, be sure to exercise caution with unfamiliar retailers that have exceptional ratings but very few compelling reviews.

•Be wary of sales that seem “too good to be true.” Many online shopping scams claim to offer items at extremely low prices and promise perks such as free shipping and overnight delivery. When it comes to online shopping, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

For Northwest Bank customers who believe they may have fallen victim to an online shopping scam this holiday season, the Northwest security operations team encourages customers to call its fraud hotline at 1-877-672-5678. To learn more about Northwest Bank’s cybersecurity tips, visit: https://www.northwest.bank/security-center/.