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More Americans Shop Online Brings More Online Dangers

The number of American shoppers that use the internet as their shopping platform for the holidays is constantly growing, however, shoppers are not the only kind of internet users that visit online space in increasing numbers. The rush towards the internet also attracts some parties that are trying to use the internet for fraud. As more people use the internet to shop, the number of online threats increases accordingly.

A report by the National Consumers League and National Cyber Security Alliance warns that 1 out of 10 people that use the internet for shopping might find himself the victim of fraud during the upcoming holiday season. Shopping online is much easier than stepping out of the house and driving to the nearby shopping center. The online option is the main platform for many shoppers as online shopping becomes increasingly irresistible when time is of the essence.

The research firm comScore Networks believes that the 2006th holiday season will close with more than 24 billion dollars spent on online shopping. Looking at a survey conducted by Zogby International covering about 9,000 U.S. adults, it sounds reasonable as more than two-thirds of them are planning to purchase at least one of their presents online. The main concern of security firms is that people will fall for `phishing` sites. These sites look like real commerce pages, and ask users for their personal information. It`s imperative to shop only at well-known and secure websites.