Online shopping is now second-nature for millions of consumers, but it carries certain risks for identity theft. Some shoppers might think that avoiding online purchasing will eliminate potential problems, but in-person shopping can have its own perils. Determining the safest method for shopping isn't necessarily about choosing one or the other - it all comes down to knowing how to shop safely in either environment. Consider these potential identity theft pitfalls of shopping in person and online: Online obstacles: Shopping on an unsecured website. If you don't see 'https' in the URL of a page on which you're making a purchase, identity thieves might be able to access your personal information. Storing payment information on retailer sites. If you save your credit or debit card numbers on a retailer's website to make future payments more convenient, that information can be stolen if thieves hack the website. Having weak passwords. If you're using an easily guessable password (like basic words, your birthdate or children's names), a savvy hacker could gain access to your accounts and steal your identity in a snap. Always employ 'strong' passwords that contain numbers, symbols and characters. LastPass, an online and app password manager, offers a free service to generate complex passwords. Change passwords at least every three months and don’t use the same one for online banking that you use for shopping or social networking sites. Letting your card out of sight. If a clerk takes your card to an out-of-sight spot, you could be at risk of identity theft. Don't ever let someone take your card to a place where you would be unable to see them writing down the number and other information. Skimming. You might not give a second thought to using an ATM or paying for things like gas or rental movies with the swipe of a card. Thieves are well aware of that fact and sometimes attach 'skimmers' designed to look like real card-reading devices to these automated points of sale. The skimmers read and collect card information, giving thieves access to your accounts. For our nation’s military service members, identity theft, unfortunately, remains the number one complaint. And while in past years consumers of all ages reported incidents of the crime at relatively similar rates, the numbers now paint a different picture. Consumers between the ages of 40-69 are reporting identity theft at higher rates, suggesting a growing awareness of this crime—and vulnerability. Seniors: More seniors are reporting identity theft. In 2016, consumers between the ages of 40-49 and 50-59 accounted for 15 percent and 24 percent of complaints, respectively, both up from the previous year. And the numbers for seniors are likely to be even higher, according to an AARP survey which found that 'victims 55 years of age and older were significantly less likely to acknowledge that they were defrauded than victims under 55.' All-too-common scams include tax identity theft, medical identity theft and fraud committed by nursing home and long-term care staff. Military personnel: Service members are reporting identity theft at a higher rate—30 percent more than in 2015. And they're experiencing more familiar fraud and new-account fraud than most populations, according to the 2015 Identity Fraud Report from Javelin Strategy & Research. The military has used personally identifying information (PII), such as Social Security numbers, as general identifiers for personnel, which increases theft risk. Moreover, deployed military personnel who do not place an active duty alert on their credit files are easy targets for friends or family members. College students: Identity theft complaints among college-age students may have dropped slightly, but this group is four times more likely to have their identity stolen through familiar fraud than other populations, according to the 2015 Identity Fraud Study by Javelin Strategy & Research. Much of the issue is likely due to awareness of behaviors that may put them at risk, as well as limited understanding of the costs and challenges of identity theft. For example, students are often very aware of computer security, but they share personal information widely and may not understand the importance of locking away or shredding important documents and IDs, and regularly checking their credit reports. Retail risks: Letting your card out of sight. If a clerk takes your card to an out-of-sight spot, you could be at risk of identity theft. Don't ever let someone take your card to a place where you would be unable to see them writing down the number and other information. Skimming. You might not give a second thought to using an ATM or paying for things like gas or rental movies with the swipe of a card. Thieves are well aware of that fact and sometimes attach 'skimmers' designed to look like real card-reading devices to these automated points of sale. The skimmers read and collect card information, giving thieves access to your accounts.