You must have already had time to appreciate all the advantages of shopping online. Indeed, since you have the opportunity to buy the necessary goods, just sitting in your chair while not rushing anywhere, comparing prices for similar products in other online stores.
Buying products online is a very convenient, easy, and fast way to buy something you’ve wanted for a long time. However, is it as safe as it seems at first glance?
Unfortunately, nowadays, many swindlers are trying to steal your data by getting access to your card.
But the most important thing is that all their schemes bring results, most often through the fault of the cardholders themselves. If you follow the rules of safe online shopping, you will minimize the possibility of money lost, and your shopping experience will be smooth.
Simple rules of online shopping that everyone should know
For online shopping to bring you only a positive experience, you only need to follow a few rules:
- Study in detail the site where you want to shop. Many of us, noticing the right product at a small price, don’t bother to look at the site itself but seek to complete the purchase as quickly as possible. This tactic is entirely wrong. If you have never purchased from this site before, look for reviews. Find them from people who have had experience with it before. Visit sites that post-independent ratings. Yes, all of this will take you some time, but it will give you confidence that you are buying from a safe platform.
- Find out in advance if there are any issues with possible refunds. If the company doesn’t have a return policy, you may want to consider whether or not you need to do business with them. Find out where the item will be shipped from, how long you will have to wait to receive it, etc.
- Make sure that you are on a secure site. If you will see a padlock symbol on the left of the address bar, and the site’s name starts with “HTTPS:” – it means that the site is protected, and it will be safer to make payments through it. If the site name starts with “HTTP:” – it means you are on an insecure site. Also, with just one click on the lock, you’ll get the site’s certificate details. If your browser gives you a notification that the certificate is expired or invalid, by no means do not shop there;
- Don’t forget to update your software and use a licensed antivirus. Many users don’t want to splurge and install licensed software. Still, it’s the purchase of a trusted and reliable antivirus that can very often save you from major trouble, especially when you shop online.
- Only use strong passwords when registering on the site. Avoid entering your last name or first name, as well as your date of birth and other personal information that intruders can easily find out from social networks. Besides, it is desirable to use a unique password consisting of both numbers and letters, which you have not used on other sites before.
- Forget about public wi-fi. At least it would be best if you did not use it when you are entering your payment card information and purchase at online stores. At that point, it’s best to use a standard 4G connection that only you have access to. Using public wi-fi, you run the risk that all the data you enter will fall into the hands of intruders.
- Pay for your purchases with a credit card. By choosing a credit card as a payment method, the buyer gets maximum protection from the company and the payment systems. In addition, in the future, if you received a damaged product from the seller, you could request a chargeback, and the bank will return the money to your card.
- Don’t agree to unrealistic terms. If you see an item being offered to you at a meager price that is very hard to believe, you are probably dealing with scammers. If you have even the slightest doubt about the seller’s honesty or the quality of the product, it is better to refuse such a transaction.
