Written by: Mackenzie Sherman
In today’s modern world, online shopping is extremely popular. So popular, in fact, that stores have shut down, like ToysRus for example. Amazon has taken the lead in the most popular online shopping sites. But not all sites are reliable as Amazon. Some sites will steal your credit card information upon your purchase.
Some other scams will pop on your laptop as an ad, pressuring you to download it. But, when it does, it opens the doors to hackers for them to steal your personal information. If you receive an email, text message, or phone call asking you to ‘validate’ or ‘confirm’ your personal information, this is a sign that it is scam.
One way to prevent hackers is by getting a VPN or Virtual Protection Network creates a ‘tunnel’ of sorts, that keeps you totally private and keeps unwanted hackers from getting your information. Another way to stay safe is if you suspect you’ve been scammed, change your passwords on your bank account, and anything else that you feel might be hacked into.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. “Online Shopping Scams.” Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, 4 Jan. 2018, www.scamwatch.gov.au/types-of-scams/buying-or-selling/online-shopping-scams.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. “Identity Theft.” Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, 1 Aug. 2018, www.scamwatch.gov.au/types-of-scams/attempts-to-gain-your-personal-information/identity-theft.
“Shopping Online.” Consumer Information, 13 Mar. 2018, www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0020-shopping-online.
“The State of Online Shopping Fraud.” Experian, 9 Jan. 2020, www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/the-state-of-online-shopping-fraud/.
This is a really interesting topic and I don't think many people realize that some websites do steal your information and sell it. A lot of the websites advertised on social media will do this where something looks super cute and the price is super good so you click on the link and try to buy something and you may get your item but who knows what they are doing with your information.
ReplyDeleteI think this a great article especially for teens. This issue is overlooked by most teens because they put a lot of trust in the internet. Hackers are very dangerous and can cause a lot of problems but you don't know where they're hiding. It is very important for teens and adults to make sure that the website is credible.
ReplyDeleteThis is a topic that I don't think a lot of people think about on a daily basis. Most people don't think about where their information is going when they purchase something off of a sketchy website. Therefore, I think that we should continue to purchase through mostly American ran countries like Amazon. This will not only protect our information, but you are then able to contact these companies if concerns pop up about identity theft.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting and relevant article! I like how you presented the issue along with a solution to the problem as well. This is more relevant than a lot of people realize which is actually kind of frightening. Overall good job with the article!
ReplyDeleteI know websites stealing information is an issue even for semi-informed people (like people in our generation that know how the Internet works). However, fraud against the elderly is also very common. They're frequent targets of financial scams, though not maybe identity theft. The elderly have adapted more slowly to Internet usage, and might be unaware of scams that most of us know about. They also probably don't have a VPN or other protections on their computer. How can we help the elderly avoid being scammed online?
ReplyDeleteThis is a very real problem in todays world! I think you could've explnded a little bit more on how to prevent them from getting your information and why it's bad if they do.
ReplyDeleteI never knew hackers can steal information through false ads and I also didn't know VPN existed now we can protect our identities
ReplyDeleteInternet fraud and protecting against online theft is a hot topic that is becoming increasingly more prevalent, and the information you provided is crucial knowledge that every internet user must know in order to be safe. Yet, older individuals who are not as comfortable with or do not understand all the dangers of the internet are especially at risk and there needs to more available resources for education for all ages in order to allow the secure online shops to flourish, otherwise the risk of shutting down physical stores is worthless if people do not use the online stores in fear of their information being stolen. In addition, younger generations are heavily drilled with do and don'ts of the internet, yet the information given to them is solely related to social media and protecting their privacy, when in reality it also needs to include education related to financial safety on the internet because one day, they too will turn to online shopping and need to have the right information to shop safely.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of identity theft has been talked greatly as the world of internet shopping is expanding. Scammers are getting really good at being able to get your personal information secretly, just one click away. Another issue being discussed is scammers getting into your webcam. This is a very scary issue, and most people just put stickers over their webcam. It is so scary to even think that you have to cover webcams these days, knowing that you have to take the extra step to ensure online safety.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very important issue in today's world and will only become more relevant, as you stated. Along with that, it is not only important to be aware of the issue but how to prevent it, which was good that this article addresses some ways that can help with prevention. It is important to be aware of this and keep up with all of your information for this exact reason and to be aware of the sights that are being shopped on or what links people click on.
ReplyDeleteI think it is really important to understand that this is a problem and something we definitely need to look out for. Especially because online shopping, ads, and other websites are so accessible, we are not quick enough to question if something is a scam. I also think that the importance of VPN is something to consider because it is not something that people are typically familiar with. Understanding preventative ways to protect yourself before this even happens is even more important than knowing how to handle it. Being more aware, less trusting, and doing prior research are also good alternatives if one is unfamiliar with VPN and is concerned about the safety of a specific website.
ReplyDeleteThis is a topic that I think not a lot of people actually think about and or realize that it could happen just by downloading something. I feel like more people should know about this topic more so they know how to prevent this from happening. It's a great thing to talk about because it can happen to anyone.
ReplyDeleteI pretty much buy everything online now instead of in-store shopping and I never realized how often and easy it is for hackers to steal our information. This piece really helped the numbers come into perspective for me and informed readers how to take better precautions in the online shopping world. It is scary to think how convincing a website or ad can be made and after one click or entering of information, hackers can know so much about you. I always thought I was taking good preventative measures in this area, but there are many more simple things I can do to prevent identity theft from happening to me or my family.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of identify theft is a common problem that we hear about, but it's effect is not heavily implied. In today's world, as technology improves, so does the value of the information we protect and it's circuital to learn oh how to we can avoid future conflicts. This article does a great job on talking about identify theft and how it occurs, plus also mentioning on ways to overcome the identity theft on the interest. My one question is you talked about changing bank passwords, like how often do you think we might have to? Is there a set limit?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that identity theft is a problem that is arising constantly in our society. It's becoming a problem that is also becoming harder and harder to solve as technology advances. Do you think there are any ways we could protect ourselves from identity theft in our society?
ReplyDeleteWith how popular online shopping has become, it's not surprising that false sites have sprung up to attempt to steal your personal information. Every internet user should be taught about how to safely use the internet so that they can keep their information safe. The internet is only as safe as your understanding of how to protect your online information.
ReplyDeleteI have personally never had to deal with a family or friend who has been through identity fraud, but now that I now this information I will take more precaution when buying and searching on the web.
ReplyDeleteIdentity theft is truly a scary topic in today’s society. With modern forms of technology and many different media platforms, it is easy for hackers to get something as simple as your first name and then search up so much more about you (Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc). You do bring up a good point about how these hackers could be stopped by changing the passwords to some of your accounts to ensure safety, but along with this should come other safety measures as well. One main thing someone should do is install up-to-date security programs (including anti-malware software) to ensure protection from these hackers.
ReplyDeleteThis topic needs to be talked about more often due to the impact and affect that hackers have on us each day. I agree that people need to be more aware of this by changing their passwords more frequently or not having the same password for all of their social media and other websites. Going along with what Peyton said, I also didn't know that a VPN could prevent hackers from getting into our "digital life".
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the blog I was surprised that because of Amazon it's making a lot of stores close such as Toys R us. I think I didn't saw on the blog is the statistics of identity theft cases a year and percentages of it. I think this is a good idea for teens because a lot of teens go on Amazon and there's a lot of ads that say congratulations you won $100 click him to confirm. Hopefully, others and teens be safe when they online shop on Amazon.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is always advancing, and often times the hackers advance faster than the people trying to prevent it. For a system is always bullet proof until somebody puts a bullet through it per say. My question is this, what can be done to stay one step ahead of the hackers? Are there people working on creating new more secure systems of running online shopping, if so, who are they and how can we be involved? Finally who do you think in the end will prevail, the protectors or the hackers?
ReplyDeleteThat just goes to show how vulnerable everyone is to these scams. The fact that you need a VPN or anything security wise just makes everything more scary. Who knows how far the hackers have gotten into our security methods, next thing you know our own tactics will be breached.
ReplyDeleteIt's too easy to say "get a VPN" and call it a day. A VPN won't do everything, in fact, it does little against scammers through email and such, because all a VPN does is change your IP location on the internet, preventing your ISP from seeing what you're doing. We can't really protect our own data from scammers, all we can do is know the difference.
ReplyDeleteAs technology advances day by day there is little things that we can now say that we trust and it is making the population vulnerable. The fact that you need to worry about you credit card security while shopping online is a huge problem. How would anyone know if hackers can do more than just steal your credit card information much less your identity? That is what makes this type of problem very scary.
ReplyDeletePicking a “safe site” is not going to do anything, ads pop up regardless and you cant really control it. Whether you use amazon or ebay or nike or whatever online store, if they are verified and obviously a brand or website you have heard of, no information will be stolen. A vpn is smart however in that it keeps you private from everyone making your phone capabilities higher on private networks and a slightly more complex way for ads to get to you.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of different ways your identity can be stolen, and I agree with you completely on that. There are multiple instances I have had where the only way to validate information is through email and text. I personally find this the best and most secure way to do so as only you can receive the message. Another way to block out possible threats is to use an adblocker. The only issue with the VPN is the services can sometimes cost extra to use. The best way to deal with digital theft is to be aware of what sites you are using and what information you are putting into them. The use of Chromebooks in today’s world minimizes the theft of personal information due to the fact that executables are unable to run on them.
ReplyDeleteWith online shopping gaining in popularity today as you said, not many people are cautious of where they put their information and where they don’t as long as they think they’ll receive something they want. I like how you not only brought the fact that there are hackers out there to attention, but also gave us ways to prevent identity theft. For example, using a VPN or changing passwords. Great job on this piece.
ReplyDeleteIdentity theft is by far one of the largest drawbacks of handling digital money, especially when we hand out our details to online sellers quite frequently, so it's hard to find how the thief got the details in the first place. It's actually quite interesting. My mom was a victim of identity theft-- someone managed to get their hands on her credit card details. Luckily, banks have their own security teams, plus the thief made it quite obvious (there was a purchase in Pewaukee, then Chicago, then Pewaukee again 5 minutes after), so she got her money back, but I think there still needs to be more education in order to prevent from happening in the first place.
ReplyDeleteIdentity theft is not a joke. But I think that perhaps it ruins the reputation of the internet. In my personal opinion, it's not that hard to know when to give private information or not. It's just a matter of common sense which includes; not opening ads or random websites, only give out private information to websites you can trust, and do not trust strangers. But there are repeated offenders that consist of my parents/grandparents who constantly make the same mistake and continue to get malware over and over again. It gets annoying helping them, but they always click on flashy ads or press on random links they find. I think the best way to fight identity theft is not only stronger protection from VPN's and antivirus programs but also perhaps an online educational class to teach those who are vulnerable the dangers of the internet and how to avoid them.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely a very important topic to teens today because so many of them use amazon and other websites to shop now. Stating some safety measure like changing passwords is important for people to know so that they can protect themselves. However, other safety measures and the stats of how many identities are stolen a year would be helpful for people to understand the importance this topic. Also if your specific audience was teens then it would be helpful to include how likely it is for teens identities to be stolen compared to adults.
ReplyDeleteIdentity theft is a very big issue with the accessibility of the internet, so someone can hack your account from anywhere. While online shopping has become a more suitable option for most people the risk you take from buying from multiple sites increases your chances of having your identity stolen. While online shopping is a main way of getting your identity stolen, what are some other ways of having your identity stolen just by being on the internet?
ReplyDeleteOverall great job! This scary topic needs to be addressed more throughout society, as it is such a pressing topic. It is certainly scary to see how much technology has progressed over the years. Hackers are extremely smart people and are always one step ahead which makes the world a dangerous place. However, when reading your blog post, I was wondering if we could ever be more advanced than these hackers? Is it possible for us as citizens or even businesses to be more advanced and avoid the fraud, identity theft, and the manipulation. My other question was, Are all hackers viewed as dangerous? Do you think some are willing to help? Overall great job and I enjoyed reading your post! -Ellie A
ReplyDeleteHonestly I feel like there needs to be some sort of way that we put a protection program put when it comes to online shopping to counter act identity theft such as maybe some personal security questions you would have to answer before you can even buy anything online and an alert system so you would know if somebody is trying to steal your identity, with all the ground breaking technology we have in the world today there should be some sort of protection steps that need to be taken. Also another step we could take to reduce or even stop identity left is making sure VPN is secure and modified so “hackers” would be able to do these things so easily.
ReplyDeleteI always thought that the confirmation emails were to ensure a safe purchase and experience on a website. I never knew it was actually a scam. I guess it goes to show how "gullible" people can be when it comes to online safety. But the real question is, what can we do to keep ourselves one step ahead of any hackers on the internet? You mentioned a VPN but how long is it till they find a way to hack that too?
ReplyDeleteI knew that hackers existed and used shopping sites to steal your information, but I wasn’t aware of how you can identify if they’re trying to steal your information (ex: having to confirm your information through an email or phone call). I feel that it is very important that everyone, especially those like young and elderly people who are inexperienced within the internet are aware of how to detect if someone may be attempting to hack into your personal information. Towards the end of the blog post, you recommended getting a VPN (Virtual Protection Network) to protect personal information on your computer. What is a good way to make sure that the VPNs are reliable as well, and won’t hack into your information?
ReplyDeleteMackenzie, your post deals with credit card fraud through the internet. I found it interesting that you brought up the closing of certain stores such as “Toys R Us”. You proceeded to talk about how online websites such as amazon are increasing their popularity. In your post you said, “But not all sites are reliable as Amazon.” Although it is true that identity theft is more likely to happen on other sites, it is important to still be careful when using Amazon. The online site is just as unreliable as sites like Kohls and Walmart, and even Ebay. Furthermore, you talked about safety precautions that will help prevent identity theft from happening. One prevention that you mentioned is to change your passwords and although that could help, it may not be the best way to prevent this from happening. Hackers will most likely stop at nothing to take your information. They will try to get past your newly set passwords if that’s what it takes. In the end, your overall passage about identity theft uses information that will help online users be aware to watch their information. Adding prevention tips such as the Virtual Protection Network was a smart idea and helps contribute to your message. But, will there come a point where hackers figure a way around that as well?
ReplyDeleteIdentity theft is a huge problem with the day of technology. As you said, with some websites lots of hackers are able to possibly get your account information if you give it to them by accident. You suggested using a vpn, which is a good way to stay safe. However, it isn’t always 100% effective. It doesn’t always work 100% against all types of scams and hackers, you still need to be able to realize what you are doing online. The main way to stay safe on the internet is using your judgement and not putting your credit card information in sketchy websites. VPNs will not always keep you safe.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great thing to highlight as I'm sure many students shop online, especially when we see great deals on ads on social media that are very tempting. I've heard of VPNs before, but most of the time they seem to cost money, usually per month, to protect your information. Would you say it is worth it to pay that monthly fee? Or do you know of any free VPNs?
ReplyDeleteThe internet is becoming the primary location for crimes such as identity theft. I appreciate your attempt addressing this topic. I recommend expanding the paragraph informing the readers about the methods used to steal secure information as you aren't doing it justice. I also believe that your solution to identity theft is slightly misleading. I agree that VPNs protect you from hackers accessing your information in several ways, the two ways that you stated will work if you are using a VPN or not. You can download files that contain viruses with a VPN but they won't know who downloaded it. The second method that hackers hack that you mentioned is called fishing. Fishing does work with a VPN as you are revealing the information. Nice Job.
ReplyDelete