VIDEO: Cyber Security When Shopping Online

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- The holidays are here and gift shopping is already a go!

Shopping online and on your smartphones is more popular and convenient than ever.

But how secure is your information when making purchases online?

According to cyber security experts there’s an entire list of precautions to keep in mind to avoid fraud on your credit card this holiday season and all year long.

“Everyone you hand your credit card to has the opportunity to copy your information. So this can happen at the best hotels, this can happen in restaurants,” says Dr. Drew Hamilton.

Especially, when shopping online.

So how do you try and prevent it?

“I think the number one thing you should do is sign up with a credit monitoring service and put a perpetual fraud alert on your account,” says Hamilton.

Dr. Drew Hamilton is a cyber security researcher and lecturer at Mississippi State.

He knows the majority of people shop online but wants you to be aware when doing so.

“Make sure that you’re doing this from a secure device, so I wouldn’t do this from a public computer, or kiosk. And I’d also make sure I’m using a trusted network,” says Hamilton.

Hamilton says even though free WiFi at the local coffee shops is handy, it’s not the place to buy online.

Free, public networks are almost always being monitored by hackers.

He says also be cautious of any emails you receive from stores.

“Avoid clicking the hyperlinks that get emailed to you, because many times the address that’s shown is not the actual address you’re taken to. So you’re better off typing in the address yourself,” says Hamilton.

Having a secure credit card to shop with is also ideal.

“Some credit card companies let you generate a unique credit card number, a unique expiration date, and a unique security code to use for online shopping,” says Hamilton.

Now, Hamilton says you can never fully prevent your finances being hacked but knowing the facts is key.