Beef up cybersecurity before online shopping for Christmas, police warn

Attention, shoppers! Calgary police are warning you to beef up your cybersecurity before doing any Christmas shopping online.

And with the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals fast approaching, the sooner the better, they say.

More than 8.5 million Canadians were victims of cyber crimein the past year, up from 7.4million in 2015, according to a report released Wednesday byantivirus company,Norton bySymantec.

Credit card fraud is one of the mostcommon online offenses, it added.

Here are some tips from the Calgary Police Service's cyber-forensic unit to help safeguard your surfing during the busy shopping season.

1. Beware of public Wi-Fi

Police say you never know who else is logged on to the free network at your local coffee shop, which means you also never know who else can see the credit card number you just punched in to buy that bathrobe for grandma.

2. Update your antivirus software

If you're staying away from the malls to avoid catching a cold, just remember you can still pick up a virus online. One way to ward off these constantly adapting nuisancesis by keeping your software and browsers current.

3. Look for the lock symbol

To help ensure you have a secure connection, the cyber unit says there should be a lock symbol in the address bar, or the URL should begin with "https"the "s"stands for secure.

4. Use two-factor authentication

Police say this provides an extra layer of security when logging into an account. An example would be having a confirmation key sent to your phone in addition to typing ina password.

5. Be wary of unexpected emails

You've finished filling up your online shopping carts, and now you've just got an email about a problem with a purchase you never made. The cyber unit says phishing scams like these can look very legitimate. Don't click on any links and if you do need to contact the company, do it through an email or phone number you've used before.

For more the rest of the unit's tips, visit the City of Calgary's website.