Online shopping during the holiday season or at any time of year, should always be done with caution.
According to research conducted by the Nebraska Department of Justice, there were a total of 59,177 scams reported in the state of South Carolina in 2021.
We encourage all residents to be proactive and become familiarized with the following tips below to protect yourself:
• Keep ALL software up-to-date.
• Utilize strong passwords.
• Make sure your internet connection is secure.
• Customize and use privacy settings when using social media.
• ALWAYS make sure your Internet connection is secure. Most public Wi-Fi is not.
Refrain from making an online purchase while connected to public Wi-Fi.
• Use a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your browsing information.
• Only make online purchases from secure websites.
• Customize and use privacy settings on all social media platforms.
• Identify and block nuisance calls manually or automatically.
• Be wary of requests to update or confirm your personal information.
• Do not open attachments from unknown senders or click on links in emails/strange text messages in which personal information is requested.
For more safety tips on protecting yourself and your identity this holiday season, email TOKI’s Director of Public Safety, Dr. Craig Harris, at charris@kiawahisland.org.