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Port Arthur Police stress that holiday shopping during a pandemic leads many people to shopping online rather than going in-person to local stores.

“This practice can be challenging for those unaccustomed to online shopping,” the PAPD warns through a recent alert to the community. “Unfortunately, we often see a rise in phone and online scams during this time of year.”

Here are a few tips for staying safe while shopping online.

• Look for the “S” in HTTPS in the web address. This indicates they are incrypted.
• Look for a privacy policy or trust seal, identified by the words “Secure” or “Verified.”
• Look for contact information.

To be safe, if you are unsure of the security of any site, do not purchase from that site or share any personal information, including home address, credit card or banking information.

For more information go to staysafeonline.org.