We have now entered the busiest holiday shopping season of the year and although we have Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us, we still have the top 5 holiday shopping days of the year in front of us which are between December 18 and 24. These 5 top shopping days account for 33% of all holiday sales. That being said, let’s not forget the Super Saturday which is on December 17 and Father’s Day which is on December 23rd.

Now that we have established which days most of us will go shopping, let’s go over the top 5 holiday shopping tips to avoid identity theft:

1- Avoid shopping on the busiest holiday shopping days. Be the first to change the trend and spread your shopping over less busy and most unpopular shopping days and times. There are a few reasons for this suggestion but mainly these busy shopping days are chaotic and can cause someone to lose credit cards and be targeted by identity thieves who are also busy making money on these most popular shopping days.

2- Beware of individuals who get too close, especially during your ATM withdrawal transactions. Credit card skimming is a common practice to steal your card information using handheld devices. Notice any malfunctioning credit card processing machines which might have installed skimming devices. Learn more about ATM Skimming.

3- Use cash for purchasing most items especially small items which are not worth sharing your card information with others. Using less credit cards and sharing less personal information is one of the main recommendations of the Identity Diet program and Identity KAOS principles.

4- Consolidate as many purchases as possible into one purchase from one retailer or website. This will also ensure you share less of your personal information.

5- And lastly, check your account statements carefully when they arrive. It is even better if you can frequently check your account information online to detect any unauthorized transactions as soon as they occur. If you notice any unknown transaction, contact the bank immediately and follow up.

Until next time, be identity safe,
Henry Bagdasarian
Identity Management Institute

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