A recent Gallup poll shows many Americans are expected to spend a little more than a thousand dollars per person on Christmas and other holiday gifts this year.
Experts say this means the holiday shopping season could be a bit kinder to retailers across the country.
That also means lots of people will be shopping online.
Len Gonzales, the owner of Ally Cyber Investigations, LLC. is an expert when it comes to online safety. He emphasizes the importance of shopping smart this holiday season.
Gonzales told News 3's Jay Greene it's important to buy from a reputable website and avoid paying for things over social media.
He said you can also use what's known as a 'vanilla' card.
"Instead of using your credit card or your debit card online, you can use something like a gift card to make an online purchase," he said. That means that when you use your credit card or your debit card is not vulnerable."
Gonzales also encourages shoppers to be aware of what type of internet network they're using when purchasing items.
"When you're in an unsecured, open Internet environment, there are hackers that can collect your capture your data," he said. "So if you're going to go to a coffee shop, definitely activate a VPN— virtual private network—to protect your data from being seen from outside sources."
Keeping Kids Safe
Gaming devices will, once again, be a popular gift for many kids and this year. But they all come with their risks.
Gonzales said parents must check in on their kids to make sure they stay safe while using these devices.
In addition, Gonzales says some devices have cameras that can be hacked.
"That's basically an eyeball into your home," he said. "Depending on where that device goes in your home, whether it's the bathroom or wherever, that is an entry point for people to see what's going on in your home."
Don't Let Your Guard Down
It's not a matter of if...it's a matter of when a cyber attack could happen.
"Why people become victimized...is the fact that they don't think that they can be victimized. And that, right off the bat, means that your guard is down when you think that that can't happen to you," Gonzales said.
He also said trust your instincts when shopping online or when checking on your kids' internet usage.
"As an adult, we have this, this gut feeling that tells us that something isn't right, and we keep on moving forward with that thing despite the fact that we don't feel right about it. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't right," Gonzales said.
