Simply because there are many fake e-commerce sites out there looking to separate the unwary shopper from their credit card details. Even people who shop mainly at big-name online stores can fall victim to scams if they’re not suspicious of offers which appear too-good-to-be-true!
5 tips on how to make it safely through your online shopping this year
1. Do your Research
If you don’t know much about the online merchant that has the item you wish to buy, take a few minutes to investigate its reputation. For example, you could Google the company name and see if it all matches up or search for reviews to see if other consumers have had a positive or negative experience with the site.
2. Read the Fine Print
Often, items that are advertised at steeper discounts than other online stores make up for it by charging way more than normal for shipping and handling.
Be careful what you agree to, check to make sure you know how long the item will take to be shipped, and that you understand the store’s return policies. Keep an eye out for hidden surcharges and be wary of blithely clicking “ok” during the checkout process. Read return policies and other website information so you know what to expect if the purchase doesn’t go as planned.
3. Pay attention to Payments
Use safe payment options: credit cards are generally the safest option because they allow buyers to seek a credit from your bank if the product isn’t delivered or isn’t what was ordered.
Keep a close eye on your bank statements. Fraudsters often wait until the run-up to Christmas to push through unauthorised charges on stolen card numbers, so that the purchases would get buried amid a flurry of other legitimate transactions. That’s why it’s key to closely review your credit card bill and to quickly dispute any charges you didn’t authorise.
4. Check the Padlock
Be wary of any e-commerce site that does not include the padlock (i.e., its Web address does not begin with “https://”).
But the presence of a padlock icon next to the Web site name in your browser’s address bar does not mean the site is legitimate. Nor is it any sort of guarantee that the site has been security-hardened against intrusion from hackers. The https:// part of the address merely signifies that the data being transmitted back and forth between your browser and the site is encrypted and can’t be read by third parties.
5. Don’t Take the Bait
Be on guard against phishing and malware schemes that take advantage of shopper distraction. In years past we’ve seen emails crafted to look like they were sent from a name-brand site claiming that there was a problem with your order or some component of the shipping process.
When in doubt about such a message, visit the site directly, and do not click on links or attachments in email — particularly ones that warn of some dire consequences unless you act quickly. Phishers and malware purveyors typically seize upon some kind of emergency to create a false alarm that often causes recipients to temporarily let their guard down.
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