Overview
Online Shopping has grown on almost everybody. With lives so hectic and schedules so cramped up, most prefer to shop online. It is faster, better, easy and provides you with a larger variety of options.
Here, we give you a brief know-how about online shopping and a few tips to make online shopping safe and stress-free.
Shop From Familiar Websites
Always go for a well-known website. Do not search for sites on search engine. Search results may be rigged to drift you astray, especially after you skip top few links of the search. If you know the site it lessens the chances of being duped. Always look out for incorrect spellings or sites that use the top domain name, like .net instead of .com, these are the oldest tricks in the book. Also, the kind of sales and discount these sites put up might look really lucrative but that’s how they draw you in.
Look for the Lock
Beware if the site doesn’t have SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption installed. If they do not have it, abstain from putting in your bank details. You can know if the site has SSL when the URL for the site begins with HTTPS:// instead of HTTP://. A symbol of padlock also appears next to the URL in the address bar or the status bar at the bottom of your browser. It also depends on which browser you use are using.
Don’t Share All
No online store asks or requires your PAN card number or your birthday. However, if these are provided with your credit card details to frauds, they can do a lot of damage. The more you share your details, the easily they can steal your identity. So, it is better to avoid giving more personal information at a time or on the same website. Never, ever, e-mail your account or credit card details.
Check Your E-statements
It’s better to keep checking your e-statements, even during holidays. Make sure there are no fraudulent charges applied to your statement, even from those originating from PayPal because there isn’t just one way to get your money.
If you notice something wrong or unusual in the statement, then contact them immediately. In case of credit cards, pay your bill only if you find your statement precise. You are allotted only 30 days to notify your card issuer or bank about your plight, but after that, you may be liable for the bill anyway.
Secure Your Pc
Phishers don’t just sit around for you to give them your details, they give a bait; some extra goodies or offers and in return ask for your information. This is why you need to protect your system from any kind of malware. Make sure there is a regular update of your anti-virus program.
Use Strong Passwords
You should always have a strong password combination of alphabets, numerical and symbols; especially if you are into online shopping and banking, where all your money is virtually paid and transferred. Every account you create online asks you to do this, the reason being that it gets difficult to crack your password for swindlers.
Shopping Over Mobile
Shopping from mobile apps is considerably safer than shopping from the website. These apps do not redirect you to temporary pages and block ads as well.
Avoid Public Computers or Terminals
Avoid using public computers for shopping or even transferring money. Always remember to log out, even if you are just checking e-mails and never save passwords on them. While using your own laptop in public, make sure you are alone while filling in your bank details. It’s one thing to give your credit card to swipe while checking out but you don’t want snoopers to have all your details.
Privatize Your Wi-fi
If you are out with your laptop and decide to browse through some shopping sites, you will need a Wi-Fi connection. Only connect to wireless if you can visit The Web over virtual private network (VPN). It is recommended that you stick to known networks. Simplest way is to create your own hotspot using your smartphone and browse over your wireless with no worries.
Read Reviews
If you are unsure about a particular website, it is recommended that you read reviews about it before shopping. It is also important that you read reviews from a trustworthy site.
