Online shopping is a trending business these days. More and more customers all around the world are turning to the world wide web to shop online. There’s every reason in the world to buy online; there’s no bargaining, no queues outside the store, no need to drive a mile, and the product deliver on your doorstep. Online shopping is more comfortable and convenient for consumers, especially in regions where e-commerce is taking over the physical stores.
According to a research called “Consistent with the Cooperative Study” published by the OC&C Strategy Consultants, PayPal and Google, the retail web markets within the United States of America, UK, Germany, and China will earn double revenue around £645 billion by the end of 2018.
I think I don’t need to say this that black sheeps are always there. Black sheeps of the online world are cyber criminal, and online shopping has caught the attention of cybercriminals who are keen to take advantage of people benefitting from the convenience, affordability, and selection that transform the net such a compelling place to be.
With that in mind, we have put seven tips on how to you can safely shop online.
Use credit cards and secure payment services instead of debit cards
As we all know when you are shopping online credit cards, in comparison to debit cards, offer consumers additional protection. The main advantage of credit card is the account that is not linked to any funds you own. And that’s not all – there are many other benefits too.
According to Stay Safe Online:
“Unlike debit cards, credit cards may have a limit on the monetary amount you will be responsible for paying if your information is stolen and used by someone else,”
Likewise, using secure online payment services, such as PayPal, are advisable. The advantage with these suppliers is that they act as a sort of middleman. You pay for the service – i.e., Paypal – and then it will pass this to the distributor. In the entire process, your bank details invariably remain unseen.
Don’t Tell All
No online shopping store desires your social insurance range or your birthday to do business. However, if a bad-guy gets them, combined along with your credit card for purchases, they’ll do heaps of damage. The more they know about yourself, the better it’s to steal your identity and might misuse your identity. If possible, default to giving up the least amount of information.
Make sure the order checkout area is encrypted
Https, which was formed by Netscape, is an online security protocol that encrypts information so that data can be kept private and protected. In maximum cases, the text in the URL is headed by a padlock symbol (if this is missing, the website should be used with caution).
The ‘S’ in https indicates for secure. Websites which are using https are safe because they use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to encrypt any information that is shared online, such as your credit card details. We highly recommend availing an extra layer of Encryption by using additional security tools such as VPN.
Privatize Your Wi-Fi
Do you take your laptop with you while shopping? I don’t think so. But when you shop online, you either decided to do it via Laptop or a smart mobile and in both cases, you connect to the internet via WiFi. Use only credible and trusted WiFi whenever you decided to go online or else secure your connection with a VPN. The best VPN for WiFi is NordVPN, which highly recommended by experts. It is a highly risky if you connect to a Starbucks WiFi or free subway WiFi without a VPN.
Use Familiar Web Sites
Sticking with only familiar websites is as good as any advice when shopping online. Not only do you know what you’re going by way of variety and cost, however, you also feel a lot of assured that these well-established names have in place robust security measures.
Be aware of dodgy offers that Look Fake
We have all come across a legitimately incredible offer and jumped on it with enthusiasm, glad to own been afforded the chance to get one thing at a fraction of its actual price.
But that’s rare. The previous adage of “if it’s too good to be true, then it most likely is” should inform how you buy online – caution is needed because many scams are wanting to hook you in with tempting offers. In some cases, the perpetrator’s area wanting to infect your device easily.
It is advisable to double Check before purchasing
Seasons, like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, wherever there will tend to be loads of fantastic and genuine offers. If the brand is authentic, the URL is secure, and the offer looks legitimate, then you would be a fool not to grab it at that very right moment. If there’s the slightest doubt on anything, I would suggest walking away.
Optimize your PC’s security settings
In addition to managing and renewing your antivirus and antispyware protection, make sure your PC’s security settings are optimized. Many threats are explicitly designed to compromise the security of your operating system and web browser. Here’re two simple ways to protect yourself.
- Always update your Operating system with recent updates and your browser with latest patches. Here too, you’ll need to alter your settings, so these updates area unit put in mechanically.
- Run System Mechanic’s Security Optimizer that mechanically finds and repairs vulnerabilities and loopholes which will exist in your OS and application program.
But, nothing is better than your Common Sense.
No matter how many checks we implement on our device, operating system and web browser, if we fail to identify the threat, we will never be able to get a hold on “What’s legit” and “What’s Not.” The better you knowledge regarding latest technology, the better you can judge the scenario. Keep yourself updated with the articles publishing online such as data breaches or cyber attacks.
Just remember, precaution is better than prevention.