Almost every day, our Facebook news feeds are flooded with requests to donate to an organization, or sponsor participation in a walk / run / ride for charity. And it won’t be long before we get dozens of requests to make a holiday donation to our favorite causes!
Have you experienced any trouble when donating online, or been referred to a site that didn’t appear legitimate? I’m always very skeptical. Lifelock and I think it’s a great time to talk about some of the ways to protect yourself when using your credit card for an online charity transaction. If you’ve logged into the LifeLock for Life game you may have seen some of these questions…check them out and let me know how many you got right (or wrong).
1. True or False: You should be suspicious about online donation sites that ask about your full address.
answer: false
2. If you receive an email that urges you to donate for a good cause, you must be cautious that:
A) You don’t download a virus from an attachment
B) The link they provide doesn’t send you to a “clone” site
C) The email isn’t a “Phishing” scheme
D) All of the above
answer: D
If you aren’t positive that you are clear of all of these warning signs, it may be best to just ignore the email all together.
3. Clone sites are a benefit to online donating…
answer: false
On the contrary they are a detriment. Clone sites mimic real sites in order to get your personal and financial information while you think you are donating.
4. Where are identity thieves most likely to get key personal data when I donate?
A) Unsolicited e-mails requesting personal data
B) Personal and financial information found in the trash
C) Pre-approved credit card mail offers
D) All of the above
answer: D
5. What is the safest way to respond to a suspicious email from a charity requesting personal information?
A) Respond, and ask the sender to validate their authenticity
B) Open any attachments to read further details
C) Immediately delete the suspicious email
answer: C
If you do not personally know the sender, immediately delete a suspicious email. If the email appears to be sent by a real charity, call the publicly available phone number to donate or speak directly to the charity.
6. Who should be most cautious about protecting secure information while donating?
A) Young Adults
B) Adults
C) Elderly
D) All of the Above
answer: D
All of these groups have unique challenges in protecting themselves. Every person should take the utmost caution while offering their personal financial information to organizations.
7. True or False: Financial theft is only possible in “one fail swoop”?
answer: false
A thief can steal from you by charging small increments month to month, opening new accounts in your name or requesting you “donate” small sums. These small sums over time add up to big gains for thieves.
8. Where are identity thieves most likely to get key personal data when I donate?
A) Unsolicited e-mails requesting personal data
B) Personal and financial information found in the trash
C) Pre-approved credit card mail offers
D) All of the above
answer: D
9. How do you know that a website is at lower risk of a security breach when donating:
answer: The URL begins with a “https” . This is a way to show the lowered risk of security breaches on a website.
How did you do? I got about 70% correct, so it’s important everyone pays close attention when you’re giving your important information online, even if it’s for a special cause!
I’m a Lifelock ambassador and am paid for my time, all thoughts are my own.
My parents refuse to do anything online because they’re so afraid of identity thieves. I probably SHOULD be more careful because I do everything online so thank you very much for all this information!