The holidays roll around, your birthday hits, or maybe you just need a new gadget—online shopping is a major part of life! And with all that shopping comes a flood of emails: sale alerts, coupon codes, and special offers from your favorite stores.
Here’s a simple, active rule that can save you from a nasty financial headache: If you want to shop online, open a new tab and find the store through your browser. Do not click on a link in an email to start shopping.
Why are we so firm on this? Because every single day, cybercriminals send out thousands of fake emails pretending to be reputable retailers. These are called phishing scams, and their goal is to gain your personal information, especially your credit card number, by tricking you into visiting a fraudulent website.
The Danger of the Quick Click
Scammers know you’re busy and that you trust big names like Amazon, Target, or your favorite local boutique. They use that trust against you.
1. The Fake Email is Too Convincing
Criminals have gotten incredibly good at mimicking official email templates. The logo looks perfect, the colors match, and the language sounds urgent—”Your order has a problem,” or “Hurry, 50% off for 24 hours only!” These emails look so real that your brain skips the crucial step of verification.
2. The Link is the Trap
When you click the link in a scam email, you are directed to a phishing site. As we talked about before, these fake sites are often pixel-perfect clones of the real online store. You log in (giving the scammer your password) and then you proceed to checkout, where you happily type in your credit card number, thinking you’re getting a great deal.
In reality, you’ve just handed your sensitive details directly to a criminal. The scammer now has your card number, expiration date, and security code, ready to go on a spending spree in your name.
Your Active Solution: The “Open Tab” Rule
You don’t have to miss out on sales or coupons. You just have to change how you get there. Make this your new habit every time you want to shop:
- See an Email You Like? Read it, note the sale, but close the email immediately.
- Open a New Tab: Open your web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.) and open a brand new tab.
- Type the Address: Manually type the store’s official, correct website address into the address bar (e.g.,
amazon.comorbestbuy.com). - Shop Safely: Once you are on the real, verified website, you can confidently search for the sale items mentioned in the email. You have bypassed the malicious link and protected yourself from the phishing trap.
This simple action—taking the time to open a new tab and type the correct URL—is your best defense against having your credit card stolen during online shopping. It ensures that you are interacting with the legitimate company, not a criminal clone. Make the switch today and shop with confidence!
