These days, it seems that every week brings news of a new hacking. Between the recent breaches at Target, Home Depot, Neiman Marcus and Michaels, tens of millions of people have had their credit card numbers exposed to hackers. But does that apply to online shoppers?

It seems that the answer is no. The retailers of the most recent ones have all stated that online customers were not affected. So does that mean that online is safer than shopping in person? According to Nicholas Weaver, a senior researcher at the International Computer Science Institute, this is true because it’s easier for hackers to profit by stealing information linked to credit cards. That data taken when a credit card is swiped in person can be used to create counterfeit cards.

Credit cards stolen online, on the other hand, don’t give enough information to make counterfeit cards. Hackers need key information that are only stored on a credit card’s magnetic strip, which can only be found by hacking the system located at the cash register. This is why credit card data stolen from stores sell in the underground market for 10 times more than online card data. Thieves, who steal online credit cards, also face many more obstacles, such as only being able to make online purchases.

But shopping online isn’t completely risk-free. The online shoe store Zappos was hacked a few years ago, giving hackers access to customers’ names, addresses, phone numbers and the last four digits of their credit cards. And the Heartbleed bug discovered a few months ago is another example of websites leaving personal information available to thieves.

Regardless of if you shop online or in physical stores, make sure you take precautions to protect yourself. Check your online statements often and be on the lookout for any weird charges. Additionally, keep your passwords protected and never use the same one for multiple sites, especially ones where your credit card information is stored.

Happy Shopping.