More and more people are choosing to shop online to take advantage of the latest bargains that you don’t find in stores. However, as good as the prices might be, there are downsides to online shopping. To purchase online we freely enter all our personal details, bank card numbers, phone number and address… and off into cyberspace they go!
Let’s have a look at a few ways to keep yourself safe when shopping.
Never click links you receive through email. If you like the look of what the email is promoting, then it is safest to go straight to the company's official website, search for the item there and purchase it this way. The links within emails can have hidden malware, viruses and may even just be good copies of the brand you buy from, but are in fact scam emails.
Don’t send money via bank transfers unless you are 100% sure where your money is going. There is little consumer protection from banks if you lose money via a bank transfer, and once the money is gone from your account it cannot be reversed.
Where possible you should always use a credit card that has good fraud protection and consumer insurance. This gives you an extra layer of protection on your purchases should your retailer not be quiet what you thought. Even better, is to have one card card that you use purely for online shopping. I’ve read that American Express is the best one for this. Apparently if there is a dispute, they will reverse the transaction without too much hassle.
Although it seems convenient, especially if you're buying regularly from a brand, never store your personal information and bank details with them. Businesses, despite continually advancing safety features, are having their servers hacked and vital personal identifiable information stolen. With this information hackers are able to do all sorts of nasty things. So it's better to be safe than sorry.
Have you ever noticed that some web pages have a little padlock by the URL? This indicates that the server being used for browsing and transactions is confirmed as secure and less likely to be breached. When shopping make sure you double check for this padlock. You can also check the site information by right clicking this little icon.
Look carefully at deals that are too good to be true. More often than not, there are probably hidden catches to the deal, like unnecessary subscriptions, goods that are substandard or things that will never arrive. No matter how tempting, if they look too good to be true, it probably is, and you're in danger of losing money and possibly even having your personal details sold on.
Never shop on public Wi-Fi. While connection to Wi-Fi while you're out and about can be a life saver, especially in areas with little phone signal, please be mindful of what you access while connected to these public servers. Try to refrain from accessing pass worded services like your bank account, as again these public services can be infiltrated by scammers and your information stolen.
Another way to stay safe is to use a strong password. The stronger the password the safer you will be. There are apps (like LastPass) that you can purchase to store your passwords for you. Again, make sure you choose a reputable app that is secure. This means that you can have unique passwords for all your accounts which will make your accounts more secure. I recently learnt this the hard way. All my passwords were the same and it ended with me having all my accounts emptied. A costly mistake you only make once.
Be safe and happy shopping!
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