Black Friday is just four days away – are you ready?  Are your finances?

In addition to staying within your budget this holiday season and finding the perfect gift for your mom, be sure your holiday spending is safe and secure with a few important tips from our partners at Kasasa.

We like to find just the right thing for everyone on our list, but sometimes that items we are eyeing online is coming from a website or vendor overseas.  As part of the security of Dakota West Card Services, we watch for purchases from online stores based overseas, but it is also a good idea to know the retailer from which you are making your gift purchases.

Avoid purchasing from ads embedded into social media websites, such as Facebook or Twitter.  Instead, search for the item on a known website such as Amazon, or even through a local seller.  In addition to protecting your finances, it may also be protecting your identity.

Scams and frauds also increase during the holidays, so be certain where you are sending donations.  Lastly, never purchase gift cards or eCards for someone you don’t know – they may be trying to take advantage of your being on Santa’s “Nice” list.

As always, if an offer or a deal or a website sound too good to be true, call your local branch and we will be willing to help you make the best choices to keep you, and your finances, safe this holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Dakota West Credit Union!