Safety Tips for a More Secure Online Shopping Experience

Thank you to the Boca Raton Police Services Department for providing these tips for a safe and secure online shopping experience:

The holiday shopping season is here!

Many of you are taking advantage of online deals or skipping in-store shopping all together. To optimize your online shopping experience, you may visit sites like https://price.com/.

Check out the following safety tips for a more secure online shopping experience:

1. Go directly to a website for order or account information rather than clicking on a link received via email or text message. If you need to login to the site before you can checkout your order, you can use precautionary measures like a temp email.

2. Refrain from sending sensitive information via unsecure methods such as email, text or social media websites.

3. When shopping online, only shop with reputable vendors. It’s best to shop directly with online retailers you know and trust. Many people are using MyUSAddress to buy things from the USA and have them shipped to Canada. Get the facts at their website.

4. Verify the URL of the website you intend to visit is correct and the data is encrypted prior to entering personal or financial data into the website. Websites that encrypt that data should begin with “https:” instead of “http:” and display a closed padlock near the address bar or at the bottom of the window.

5. Refrain from storing credit card data in online accounts or mobile applications.

6. Regularly check financial accounts for suspicious activity such as money transfers or unusual purchases.

7. Check the website’s or app’s privacy policies to understand how personal data is being stored and used.8. Ensure all devices are running updated and running reputable antivirus software. Conduct scans often.

9. Pick strong passwords.

10. If an offer looks too good to be true, then it probably is. Compare prices before you buy.

11. Pay with credit, not debit. A credit card doesn’t give a seller direct access to the money in your bank account and most credit cards offer zero fraud liability.

PBC Commissioner Robert S Weinroth and his staff (Lucia, Yailen and Alex) wish all of our families, friends and stakeholders a Safe & Healthy Holiday!

L-R: Maria G Marino, Robert S Weinroth, Melissa J McKinlay, Gregg K Weiss, David M Kerner, Maria Lorts Sachs, Mackenson “Mack” Bernard and Verdenia C Baker

About the Author

Robert Weinroth - Robert Weinroth is a 27 year resident of Boca Raton where he is an attorney, businessman, former member of the City Council (where he served for four years) and currently serves as an elected member of the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners. Commissioner Weinroth went to Boston’s Northeastern University where he earned a BSBA in Management. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor at New England School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey and the Supreme Court of the United States. Weinroth served as president and general counsel of Freedom Medical Services Inc, an accredited medical supply company in Boca Raton. FREEDOMED® represented the realization of an entrepreneurial dream. Weinroth, and his wife Pamela operated the company for 16 years, eventually selling the business in 2016. Weinroth takes great pride in his past work as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem for the 15th Judicial Circuit, advocating for the needs of abused and neglected children deemed dependent by the Court. After serving on multiple community boards and committees, Weinroth was elected to the Boca Raton City Council in 2014. During his tenure, he served as CRA Vice-chair and Deputy Mayor and was appointed to a number of county boards including the Boca Raton Airport Authority, the Palm Tran Service Board, the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency, the Treasure Coast Planning Council and was elected a board member of the Palm Beach County League of Cities. Commissioner Weinroth serves as County Vice-Mayor and has been appointed Chair of the Solid Waste Authority, a board member of the PBC Transportation Planning Agency, and alternate representative on the Treasure Coast Planning Agency and several other county and regional boards. Robert, Pamela and their two dogs, Sierra and Siggy, are proud to call Boca Raton home.