Consumers often associate holiday shopping with long lines, crowded stores and overpriced goods. In recent years, many have turned to e-commerce as an easier alternative – holiday shopping without the headache. Hampering celebration of this stress-free alternative to in-store shopping is the rapid growth of cybercrime. Cyber thieves are to blame for $113 billion in consumer financial losses in the last 12 months.
Despite the aforementioned dangers, many online shoppers are unaware of the risks associated with online shopping and don’t believe they’ll become one of the 556 million annual victims. Forty eight percent of smartphone and tablet users do not take even the basic precautions such as using passwords, installing security software or backing up files from their mobile devices.[i]
“As the popularity of online shopping continues to skyrocket, so do the opportunities for hackers to steal personal information,” said Bob Bunge, professor in the College of Engineering & Information Sciences at DeVry University and consultant at the William Factory Small Business Incubator in Tacoma, Wash. “Online shoppers need to be aware of the risks associated with e-commerce and take proactive steps to protect themselves.”
[i] "2012 Norton Cybercrime Report." Norton. Web. 09 Oct. 2013. http://now-static.norton.com/now/en/pu/images/Promotions/2012/cybercrimeReport/2012_Norton_Cybercrime_Report_Master_FINAL_050912.pdf
