Online Safety

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams Online shopping is a routine part of modern life. The convenience of ordering with a few clicks, however, also attracts fraudsters who constantly refine their tactics. Official guidance from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA News) regularly highlights the risks and offers practical advice that applies to anyone shopping online. This article covers the most common scams, why they matter, and concrete steps you can take to protect yourself. ...

Is That Chrome Extension Safe? How Productivity Tools Hide Malware and What to Do About It If you use Chrome, you probably have a handful of extensions installed. Maybe a grammar checker, a note-taking tool, a password manager, or something that saves screenshots. They make life easier—until they don’t. ...

Your Productivity Tools Might Be Spying on You: How to Spot Rogue Chrome Extensions The appeal of a browser extension that promises to save time is easy to understand. A one-click grammar checker, a password manager that fills in forms automatically, or a coupon finder that works while you shop. These tools feel harmless and often deliver real convenience. But a growing number of attackers have learned that the same permissions that make extensions useful also make them dangerous. Recent reports, including an investigation by the FBI into a sophisticated hacking campaign linked to compromised surveillance systems, have renewed attention on how malicious Chrome extensions disguised as productivity tools are being used to steal credentials, inject advertising, and monitor user activity. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Practical Advice With online shopping now a daily habit for millions of people, scammers have become more aggressive and creative. Government agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, have issued repeated warnings about the growing threat. A recent VA News article titled “Watch out for scams and stay safe while online shopping” reminds consumers that fraud doesn’t take a holiday—and that taking a few minutes to verify a deal can save you from losing money or having your identity stolen. ...

How to Spot a Malicious Chrome Extension: 5 Red Flags for Everyday Users If you use Google Chrome, chances are you have a handful of extensions installed. A grammar checker here, a password manager there, maybe a tab organizer or a coupon finder. They promise to save time and effort, and often they deliver. But in recent years, security researchers have documented a growing problem: extensions that look like legitimate productivity tools but hide backdoors that can steal credentials, track browsing habits, or act as a foothold for larger attacks. ...

Shoppers’ Top AI Fear? Their Data Privacy — Here’s How to Protect Yourself Introduction If you’ve used a shopping assistant that suggests products, a chatbot that helps you compare prices, or a visual search tool that finds items from a photo, you’ve already stepped into the world of AI-powered shopping. These tools are convenient, but a recent study from eMarketer confirms what many consumers already suspect: data privacy is shoppers’ biggest fear when it comes to AI shopping, by a wide margin. The report found that privacy concerns far outrank other worries such as accuracy, cost, or even job displacement. For everyday shoppers, the question isn’t whether to use these tools—it’s how to use them without giving away more personal information than necessary. ...

Chrome Extensions That Look Like Productivity Tools Could Be Spying on You You install a grammar checker to polish your emails, a tab manager to keep your browser organized, or a VPN to protect your privacy. They look clean, have good ratings, and promise to save you time. But a growing number of these extensions are not what they seem. ...

Don’t Fall for the New Google Scam That Looks Incredibly Real If you’ve received a notification recently that looks like it’s from Google—maybe an alert about unusual account activity or a request to verify your password—you’re not alone. A new wave of phishing attacks is making the rounds, and the messages appear startlingly legitimate. Here’s what’s happening, why it matters, and how to keep your accounts safe. ...

Your Chrome Extensions Could Be Spying on You: How to Spot a Backdoor If you use Chrome for work or personal browsing, you probably have a handful of extensions installed—an ad blocker, a password manager, maybe a screenshot tool or a grammar checker. These small programs make the browser more useful, but they also create a hidden attack surface that few people inspect. ...

Afraid AI shopping tools are spying on you? Here’s how to protect your privacy If you’ve used a chatbot to find a gift or let an AI recommend a new laptop, you’re not alone. AI shopping assistants are appearing on major retail sites and search engines, promising faster decisions and personalized deals. But a new survey from eMarketer confirms what many shoppers already suspect: data privacy is far and away the biggest fear people have about using these tools. The question is whether you have to give up convenience to protect your information. The answer is no—but you do need to know what you’re handing over and how to limit it. ...