VPN4ALL says it doesn’t have to be ‘Buyer Beware’ for Online Holiday Shoppers
Cyber Monday and the 2011 online holiday shopping period is ripe for identity theft, with $25 billion already spent online, but VPN4ALL says full protection is possible through VPN service
VPN4ALL, a VPN service that provides its subscribers with online security, privacy and anonymity, wants holiday shoppers to be aware of the risks of shopping online if they are on a public Wi-Fi or suspect network, as about 15 percent of identity theft takes place during online activity. The solution to protect yourself, according to VPN4ALL, is to set up a VPN on any device from which you shop online, which includes a laptop, tablet or smart phone.
In 2006, Cyber Monday was only the 12thlargest shopping day of the year for retailers. In 2010 it rose to become the No. 1 biggest shopping day, topping over $1 billion in sales. The 2011 Cyber Monday shopping day is expected to top $1.2 billion in sales, making it a big target for cyber crime and identity theft. And by mid-December of this year, consumers had already spent $25 billion shopping online, a 15 percent increase over 2010.
“Not everyone shopping for holiday gifts this year will be on a secure network,” says Alex Tishler, VP of VPN4ALL, “especially given the rising number of people who shop through their mobile devices on public Wi-Fi networks.”
Many in the retail industry expect that over 60 million users will shop on their mobile phone on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
“Identify theft isn’t just about losing a wallet or document,” says Tishler. “Criminals can take valuable information without a person ever realizing it’s gone until it’s too late, of course.” According to national statistics, over 71 percent of fraud happens within a week of stealing a victim’s personal data, leaving little time for consumers to become aware they are a victim of cyber crime and take precautionary actions.
Additionally, consumers are not often as protected from fraud as they may think. Credit card companies limit one’s liability for fraud to $50. However, banks that issue debit cards can limit one’s liability to $500 for each case involving fraud.
VPN4ALL offers online and mobile VPN solutions that encrypt a user’s data through any type of Internet connection, providing anonymity, privacy and security while shopping, checking email or going over bank statements online.
For more information about securing online protection this holiday season, visit http://www.vpn4all.com. To arrange an interview with VPN4ALL’s VP, Alex Tishler, contact media consultant, Ryan Newhouse, at press@vpn4all.com or (718) 407-0002.
Ryan Newhouse
VPN4ALL Media Consultant
press@vpn4all.com
http://www.vpn4all.com
About VPN4ALL
VPN4ALL is a no-hardware-required subscription-based VPN service which combines enhanced VPN technology, a fast global VPN server network in over 30 countries and an easy-to-use VPN client for Windows and Mac systems. Since 2009, VPN4ALL has provided over 10,000 users worldwide with ultimate online security, privacy and anonymity, as well as unrestricted online experiences through any type of Internet connection.
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