BE A CAUTIOUS CYBER SHOPPER

Until recently, holiday shopping has always meant driving to the mall, fighting the traffic, battling the crowds, and being careful not to fall victim to crime. But today, many people avoid the mall scene by shopping online with their computers. There's no risk of denting a fender in a jammed parking lot when you shop at home, but online buyers still need to be safety-conscious and vigilant because there's a new breed of criminals cruising the World Wide Web.

According to a major credit card company, three out of four shoppers plan to make some of their purchases online. The at-home shopping boom can be attributed to several factors, including greater consumer confidence in online retailers, comfort, convenience and added security. “At-home” shopping is often a bit of a misnomer too, since a lot of people are buying gifts on their computers at work, hopefully on their lunch breaks!

Cyber criminals can strike in different ways. They might use your existing credit cards fraudulently or they might steal your identity to open new credit lines and accounts in your name. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the country. At any given time, Broward Sheriff's Office detectives are working dozens of cases, sometimes investigating crimes that occurred months before they were discovered and reported. To be a careful online shopper, keep these cyber-safety tips in mind during the holiday season and throughout the year: