In recent years, there has an explosion in the number of online stores. Large e-commerce companies now provide customers with greater choices and a wider selection of products as well as brick and mortar shops offer their own online rewards to stay competitive and grab an online market. Furthermore, as a result of the Covid-19 epidemic numerous people have shifted to buying online items which they previously purchased at local stores. However, as the amount of people shopping has grown online and so has cybercrime, causing huge financial losses to the innocent victims.
While scams and cybercrime do exist, that doesn’t mean you have to be cautious about shopping online. Online shopping can be safe as long as you’re aware of dangers and take appropriate precautions.
Online shopping risks
The potential risks to online shopping security are
Identity theft
It is usually done by cybercriminals hacking into online stores and taking users’ login and credit card information. This allows them to impersonate customers to make purchases that are fraudulent or sell personal data to criminals on the internet.
Fake online stores
However, not all online websites are authentic. Scammers could create fake websites to resemble legitimate, established sellers. They replicate layouts and designs and steal logos to deceive customers into believing that they’re on a reputable site. They might offer well-known fashion brands, jewelry and electronic items at a bargain. Sometime, customers receive the products they’ve paid for but these are typically counterfeit. Sometimes, they aren’t even receiving anything at all.
Data that is not encrypted
Some websites don’t encrypt data. If they do not have a current SSL certificate, they’re more susceptible to attack. Sites whose URL begins with HTTP instead of HTTPS aren’t secure this poses a risk to users who share their credit card details or other sensitive information on the site.
Data security breaches
While shopping online, it is possible to are sharing sensitive data with merchants such as your bank or credit card information as well as contact details and even your address. If hackers gain access to a website for e-commerce There is a possibility that your data could be exposed as a result of the possibility of a data breach.
Fake reviews
A lot of online buyers look up reviews prior to buying. However, be mindful that it is not always the case reviews on the internet are authentic. If a specific retailer has an accumulative pattern of reviews that appear too exaggerated to be true, or aren’t detailed enough, you should try to verify the source and trust your gut.
Fake applications
A lot of legitimate online retailers have applications. Cybercriminals often attempt to imitate their services by constructing fake versions. They seek to steal your personal data, such as details of your credit or bank account as well as usernames and passwords.
Unsecured Wi-Fi
Unsecured Wi-Fi networks in public areas could pose security risks. There is a risk of hackers putting them between your and the connecting point. If you conduct online transactions for shopping on unsecure Wi-Fi networks, there’s a chance that hackers may gain access to the personal data you provide for example, your credit card information as well as your contact details.
Adware
Adware refers to unintentionally displayed ads which appear on the display when you browse the web. It is the contraction for advertising software, and it’s purpose is to make money for its creator. Adware is not necessarily malicious, but is also employed by cybercriminals to achieve malicious purposes, such as by luring you to fraudulent websites that attempt to steal your personal data. Sometimes, removing the pop-up advertisement by clicking the symbol ‘X’ could result in an infection.
Phishing
It is when scammers send fake emails that appear originate from a legitimate retailer. The emails typically contain either an attachment or a hyperlink that is designed to fool the recipient into clicking on them. Usually the process results in an infection known as malware.
Are online purchases secure?
In light of these risks It’s reasonable to ask the one: is it safe to purchase online? In the majority of cases it is, and online shopping is a secure option. It could be the individual as well as their online and purchasing habits that make it risky. This is precisely the reason cybercriminals are able to rely on.
They depend on you not being aware of and stay clear of phishing emails. They also rely on you to make use of weak passwords, or the same password and username for each online account. They rely on your use of public Wi-Fi for access to private accounts. In essence, they rely upon you as the user not following the best cybersecurity methods.
If you become a victim of cybercriminals, it could cost more than the money in your bank account. it could also cost your identity and lead to a variety of personal and financial problems.
There are numerous stories about hackers and fraudsters on the internet however, the truth lies that hackers are far less likely to obtain your credit card data on the internet than on the phone, in post, or at the restaurant. However, secure online shopping demands an additional level of security.
How do you determine whether a website is secure to purchase from
How can you distinguish between legitimate online shopping websites and those that are fraudulent? Here are a few indicators to watch out for:
Make sure you have SSL certificates
SSL refers to ‘Secure Sockets Layer’. It is an indicator that a site is secure to shop on. In essence, it’s an encryption technique that all websites that request sensitive or personal data like credit card numbers – must be able to demonstrate. To determine if an online shopping site is protected by an SSL certificate Look for a padlock icon within the address bar in your internet browser, or make sure that the URL begins with HTTPS instead of HTTP (the S is for secure).
Find an privacy statement
The privacy policy defines how the company collects, processes, and protects sensitive information from its customers. Although laws and regulations differ globally, trusted online retailers must include a clear privacy statement. If they don’t, that could be an indicator of fraud.
If a website appears offer designer clothing, electronic gadgets for significantly less than the normal retail price, consider whether it’s too appealing to be authentic. You may be transferring cash for counterfeits or fakes.
Find an address and a phone number
The legitimate retailers usually include a contact number as well as a physical address in the footer or header. If you’re not sure whether an online store is authentic, one method to determine this is to copy and paste the address information into a search engine in order to determine if the address is verified. False sellers won’t give an address or will use fake addresses.
Be on the lookout for grammar and spelling errors
Most trusted brands strive to ensure that the content and images that they display on their sites are high quality. If a website is badly written and includes many spelling or grammar errors this could suggest that the seller isn’t authentic. Other indicators to look out for include poor quality images, no return policy, and inability to write reviews.
Make sure the website is accepting credit cards.
Credit cards are believed to be the most secure method for online transactions because it is easier for credit card issuers to reimburse funds lost due to fraud. Websites that do not accept credit card payments might be a source of worry because it’s harder for fraudulent websites to get accredited with credit card issuers.
Online reviews
Although reviews can be faked however, it’s still beneficial to examine the general pattern of reviews left by other customers who shop on the internet. Review sites that are trusted can provide you with an understanding of how authentic a company is, as well as what other customers are saying about it before buying.
Tips for safe shopping online
Here are some tips for safe and secure online shopping:
Input the URL directly in the address bar
Fraudsters who send phishing email depend on you clicking the link on the email to take you to a website owned by a retailer as well as links in search results that are poisoned. These links will then take users to fraudulent replica websites. When you think you’re putting your username and information on Amazon’s website, you’re providing it to cybercriminals.
To ensure you’re going to the genuine retailer’s site, it’s more secure to type the website‘s address into the address field of your browser. It might take a bit extra effort but the easy procedure can protect your from navigating to an untrue or fraudulent website.
Take a temporary credit card
Cybercriminals have devised sophisticated methods and malware that could hinder your efforts to secure online shopping. In addition to this level of security, you can make use of an interim credit card to pay for online purchases, instead of your traditional credit card. You can ask the credit card company if you could be granted an interim credit card number.
Many credit card companies allow you to make a single purchase. This will stop scammers from trying to get your credit card number from committing any further fraudulent purchases. But, you should avoid using these kinds of credit cards to make transactions that need regular payment or auto-renewal.
Certain banks also offer online credit card. They are similar to your regular credit card, however an account number randomly generated each time you make a purchase, stopping hackers from utilizing the number in the future.
Use a computer for online shopping and banking
If you own multiple computers is an ideal idea to set aside one to transactions and banking online. By not using your computer for any other online browsing or downloading, as well as for checking emails social networking sites, or other activities online it creates an unclean computer that is free of viruses in computers and other malware.
Make sure to use a separate email address
Like creating a clean computer, you can create the same process using the email addresses you create. Create an email address you only use for online purchases. This will reduce the amount of messages from spammers and decrease the chance of opening potentially harmful messages disguised to be sales offers or other messages.
For instance, if you have a dedicated shopping account for Amazon however, you receive an email from Amazon on the primary account, advising you of a problem with your order or your Amazon account If you recognize it, then this is likely an untrue or malicious message that cybercriminals have sent.
Protect and manage your online passwords
Making sure you use strong passwords and distinct passwords for each account on the internet is among the most crucial actions you can take to ensure secure online shopping. It can be difficult to remember multiple passwords, particularly when they contain a variety of numbers, letters and special characters. However, there is an online password manager to assist. The best password managers can also secure passwords that might otherwise be written in plain text. Some antivirus and Internet security software packages offer password management as well as security features.
Beware of using Wi-Fi in public areas to sign in to online accounts
Hotels, coffee shops restaurants, as well as other public areas typically offer free Wi-Fi. It is useful to check email, surfing the web, and other activities online. However, using public Wi-Fi to log into an account that is private poses an issue for security. Hackers with savvy could hijack the Wi-Fi signal, or making their own to fool users in using the. They can also monitor what you do using your laptop or mobile device. This means that if you sign into a bank online account or retailer’s website hackers will gain access to you username, password and login details.
It’s also crucial to be cautious when using public Wi-Fi at brick and mortar shops for retail. For instance, if are at a shopping center and are looking to buy something and you are tempted to buy something you’ll consider checking online e-tailer websites to determine what deals they have. offers. However, cybercriminals are able to take advantage of this, and they can steal your personal information and steal your login information, passwords and financial data. If you have to connect to the internet for shopping it’s better to do it using your mobile phone’s network.
Use a VPN
If you must buy online using Wi-Fi that is public then first set up the VPN (a virtual private networks). A VPN can encrypt all information that is transferred between your computer or smartphone and VPN server. That means hackers are unable to get it even if they know the password to the Wi-Fi network you’re using. A VPN can to provide you with a secure option to shop online connected to public Wi-Fi.
Use brands that you’ve heard of
When you can, shop at stores that you’ve had a chance to meet, particularly ones with a strong reputation. However, even then it’s important to be vigilant – criminals frequently deliberately mispell the names of their fake websites in order to appear like a well-known company. If you’re searching for a product that can only be found through an independent site be sure to do your homework before divulging any financial details.
If you decide to purchase from a new vendor do your research thoroughly
It is a good idea to determine if you are able to get in touch with the seller should your purchase is not as you expected – check for an email or phone number or an address, along with the policy on returns. The history of feedback from the seller is another indicator of trustworthiness and honesty. Reviews on the internet can provide a an idea of how authentic the company is.
Be aware of the types of information that are requested.
Don’t divulge any more information than what is required in order to make your purchase. Don’t share your any personal information on the phone, unless you initiated the call. Also, don’t respond to an unsolicited request for personal data (especially passwords credit card or bank account number).
Make sure to make online payments with secure, reliable payment methods
When you can, always utilize credit cards whenever possible – your purchases are usually covered. If you accidentally input your debit or credit card details on a fraudulent website or respond to an unsolicited email with the information, you must immediately notify the credit card company of your choice to notify them. Do not send cash via mail.
Be extra cautious while using your smartphone to make online shopping
Shortened URLs, commonly employed because they are phones-friendly, could also fool users into visiting dangerous websites.
Always log off after online shopping
If you are finished with an online shopping experience make sure you exit the site in particular in the event that you share a computer or were using the computer in a public place (such in Internet cafes) or a Wi-Fi connection.
Review your credit card statements
If you get your statements from your credit card, look through them to look for unauthorised charges. If you find anything suspicious be sure to report it as soon as you notice it. Be sure that your children don’t possess access to the online account. Also, restrict their ability to access your credit card as well as bank account information.