FBI warns of 'e-skimmers' ahead of online holiday shopping
The FBI is issuing a warning as we turn to the internet for our holiday shopping.
You've likely heard of skimmers on gas pumps and ATMs, which thieves use to steal our financial information like debit cards, pin numbers, and more.
The FBI says hackers are also watching our online shopping carts to steal our personal information.
It's called e-skimming, and the FBI says it's happening on legitimate websites and mobile apps.
E-skimming happens when an attacker enters a malicious code onto a website to steal your credit card and debit card info when you check out.
Unlike a physical skimmer on a gas pump credit card reader, you can't detect e-skimmers. But you can take steps to protect your data.
The FBI recommends keeping your computer and smartphone software up to date, creating strong, unique passwords, using multi-factor authentication, and staying wary of links in email attachments or messages.