Personal information is as good as gold for scammers, says the Consumer Protection Office, which is offering up some advice on how to keep yours safe this season.
First, it recommends staying clear of auction sites, as consumer protection laws might not apply.
The CPO suggests only shopping on secure websites that have “https://” at the beginning of the web address. You can learn how your browser indicates a website is secure, for example by showing an icon of a lock or green address bar.
When your virtual shopping cart is full, the CPO says take note of all the extra costs like taxes and shipping, then monitor your bank statements to ensure it all adds up.
It also says Manitobans who pay by credit card for online buys have extra protection if something goes wrong. The Consumer Protection Act protects against the unauthorized use of credit card information and limits your liability to $50 when that information is used without your consent.
You can learn more about your consumer rights on the government’s website.
