Unfortunately, as online shopping and digitization grows, so too does the number of data breaches, phishing scams and online shopping fraud. The best time to teach your family and yourself how to avoiding online shopping fraud is now. Online shopping scams are the most common and dangerous, according to the Better Business Bureau, with 3 out of 4 victims reporting financial loss. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated and are using new products, services and significant events to their advantage in order to fabricate plausible stories that will persuade you to give up your money or personal information. We mention ways below to protect yourself from online shopping scams🇧🇷
Ways to protect yourself from online shopping scams
Never shop online using free Wi-Fi in public spaces.
Free Wi-Fi is a favorite among hackers as it makes it easy for attackers to access your device and steal sensitive data. Generally speaking, your data is not encrypted when using public Wi-Fi. Furthermore, hackers have the ability to build fake Wi-Fi networks. Once you connect to one of these networks, which don’t have passwords, they have full control over your device.
look for the lock
When making an online purchase, always connect to a secure internet connection. Trusted websites employ Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology to encrypt data as it is transmitted. To verify that the connection is secure, look for a small lock icon in your browser (and usually “https” in front of the address bar). Don’t buy here until you see this.
pay securely
Only shop on sites that accept secure payment methods, such as credit cards and PayPal (which is electronically linked to your credit card or bank account), both of which offer buyer protection. Even for a “mom and dad” online store, never send cash or a check.
Promotional email must never contain links or graphics.
This one is more challenging. Imagine your favorite online merchant sends you an email with a 50% off sitewide. It is advisable to go directly to your web browser and type in the website URL instead of clicking on the image or link in the email. This will ensure that you are accessing their secure website.
Use a secure payment method
Making a sensible choice when it comes to your payment option can help you avoid problems down the road if you’ve done your homework and feel comfortable shopping from a newfound retailer. If your order never arrives, using a credit card or payment processor like PayPal offers additional protection. In case of fraud, credit cards normally provide complete protection for the amount you spend, but the debit card could not.
Final Words
We hope you enjoy our article on how to protect yourself from online shopping scams. We can now pay and buy from anywhere thanks to online banking and payment methods, and we can also carry out significant financial transactions and investments digitally. With just a few clicks, all of this is possible anytime, anywhere.
