Online shopping is gaining popularity and it is quite clear why; it is convenient, gives you more options and costs less. Everything, from hotpoint washing machine spares to a brand new shining Chevrolet can be purchased with a few clicks. Still, there are still too many security issues when it comes to online shopping.
There can be frauds, your financial information may fall into the wrong hands or a number of things may go wrong, causing you trouble. However, by taking a few necessary measures to protect yourself against these things, you can definitely enjoy the experience of online shopping without worrying about security too much.
So, here are some tips to help you stay safe while shopping online.
Whenever you are shopping online, make sure you visit sites of trusted retailers such as Amazon or E-bay. Sites where you are directed from a search engine are not usually very trustworthy and should be used with care. If you are using any such sites, make sure you read customer reviews for that online vendor before you proceed with your shopping.
If a page asks for your credit card information, always make sure that the page is encrypted first. You can easily look for encryption by looking through the web address mentioned on that page. Address with ‘https’ instead of ‘http’ indicates that the page in encrypted and the transaction is secured.
When shopping online, make sure you don’t use shared computers. When you have to shop, always use your home computer for the purpose. If, in case, you have to shop from a public computer such as a library or a lab, make sure you delete all your browsing history, clear the cache and log out properly before getting off the computer.
Always find out whether the seller has a physical address where you can reach them easily. If not, look through their refund and privacy policy carefully to know what you are getting into.
When shopping online, it is far more preferable to use your credit card instead of your debit card. If, in case, you do become a victim of any cybercrime, you can restrict the damage by using a credit card. Credit cards have spending limits that can be controlled whereas in case of a debit card, you can end up losing all your savings in your checking account.
Always have a malware protection software and antivirus installed to your computer before you start online shopping. This is essential to protect your computer from any harmful attacks that can be made while you are shopping online.
Always make sure that you only provide information to the site that is absolutely necessary. Even if the site is secure, there is always a threat of vulnerability and your information can fall in the wrong hand. Providing your birthday, Social Security number and any other similar information is absolutely unnecessary.
You should always select a password that is strong and hard to break. It should not be too small and should be a phrase containing alphabets as well as special features. The more complex your password is, the more secure you will be.
If you take care of these simple things, your online shopping experience can be quite a pleasant one and you can conveniently have all that you want at your doorstep with a few clicks. Be smart and keep yourself safe from the clutches of cyber crime, and have a fun time shopping!
Author’s Bio
The author is a system security analyst who works as a freelance security consultant. In his free time, the author like to write blogs and articles to inform people about way they can keep themselves safe from cybercrimes. Whether it is Hotpoint washing machine parts, a new book or anything you want, you can easily find it online. However, you should remember to keep safe while shopping online.
