Top 10 Pro Tips to Stay Safe While Shopping Online
Digital tools have made it possible to find just about anything online. People can order food, clothes, and even furniture without ever going outside their homes. It has led to a lot of people shopping online for convenience sake. It has become a trend to shop online, but there is also a sense of risk with this convenience.
People are tense about their personal information being stolen or them getting scammed. While it is true that shopping online does have its risks, there are ways to stay safe while doing it. Everyone must stay safe while they shop so they don’t get scammed or hurt themselves. Here are ten useful tips on how you can stay safe while shopping online!
Buy from Authentic Sites
Make sure that you are shopping from an authentic site. There are a lot of fake and fraudulent sites out there, and if you buy from them, you will likely not receive what you ordered, or you may get scammed altogether. To avoid this, always make sure to research the site before purchasing anything.
Look for reviews online and see if the site is listed on any scam websites. While shopping online, check the URL before you make any purchases. For example, if the URL is abcshoponline.com and not amazon.com or ebay.com, it would be best to avoid using that site as a seller for your online shopping needs!
Only Shop with Secure Sites
You should only shop with secure sites. A secure and trusted site has a padlock icon next to its URL and “HTTPS” in the address bar. It indicates that the site has been verified and is safe to use. Shopping from unsecured sites can leave your personal information vulnerable to hackers.
An insecure or fake site may ask you for your credit card information, name and address. These are all unnecessary risks that can be easily avoided if the website is secure!
Be Wary of Deals That Seem Too Good
Many fake or scam sites will try to lure you in with deals that are just too good. Check twice before buying items at extremely low prices, especially if they have nothing to do with the season or holiday currently being celebrated.
Fake sites may even use pictures from popular websites like Amazon and eBay! Moreover, if searching for coupons and deals, always go to authentic and secure sites like CouponGot, Offers.com, or Vouchercodes.co.uk! These websites will not put your personal information in jeopardy!
Be sure the Shipping Address is Correct
Another red flag for fake or scam websites is if they ask you to enter your shipping address before you have even decided to buy anything! Reputable online stores will never require this information upfront, as it could be a way for the site to steal your details.
Always double-check that the website’s URL begins with “HTTPS” and has a padlock symbol to confirm that your information is protected. Once you have found the online store with the best offers, feel free to enter your payment and shipping details without worry!
Take Advantage of Available Security Features
As mentioned earlier, websites that don’t start with “HTTPS” or lack a padlock symbol are not to be trusted with your personal and payment information. However, even websites with these security features can still be risky if you don’t take the necessary precautions.
Ensure to activate any available security features on the website, like two-factor authentication or a password manager. This way, if you lose your account credentials, they won’t be able to take over without this second form of authentication.
Check the Privacy Policy
The website should also have an up-to-date privacy policy, telling you what information is being collected. If the online store doesn’t have a privacy policy, be wary. Also, Whenever possible, avoid using a public computer or a network that’s open to the general public when shopping online.
Hackers can leverage these networks to steal your information while using them, so only log on when you have a private connection. Avoiding public or unsecured networks is the easiest way to stay safe online.
Avoid Public Wi-Fi for Shopping
Public Wi-Fi is not safe for shopping because it’s easy for thieves to access your personal information like credit card numbers and passwords. If you’re going to use public Wi-Fi, be sure to connect to a VPN first. The VPN will encrypt your connection, making it extremely difficult for hackers to obtain any information about you or what you’re doing on the internet.
Moreover, avoid shopping on public computers. It can be dangerous because these computers are more vulnerable to viruses and malware. Hackers often target public networks looking for victims.
Get Discounts from Authentic and Trusted Sites
We are shopping online most of the time because the goods are cheaper. Make sure you only buy from trusted websites so that your personal information will be protected by OSM security, not exposed to hackers looking for easy targets on public Wi-Fi networks.
Also, if you are looking for a great deal, you should know that your credit card’s first and last dates are more likely to be stolen. Also, when searching for discount codes, visit trusted sites. These sites compile discounts from trusted and verified merchants so you can save money while shopping.
Use Different Passwords for Separate Accounts
If hackers get hold of one password, it might not harm all your accounts because each account uses a different password. If an email has been hacked, the chances are high that passwords from the same email account have been stolen as well and can be used to access your other accounts.
A good way to prevent this is by using different passwords for every account you create, even if they are all in the same category.
Do Not Click on the Pop-up Windows
Avoid clicking any links sent to you through pop-up windows, emails, texts, etc., unless they have been verified as safe by your trusted sources! Many scammers send out fake emails and messages just waiting for an unsuspecting person to click on the link to a fraudulent website.
The site is often designed to look exactly like the real site. With just one difference or mistake, your personal information can be stolen.
In Conclusion
Keep yourself safe online, and if you follow these tips for staying safe while shopping online, it will help! Secure and safe shopping is just a few clicks away! So what are you waiting for?