Online shopping has made our lives easier and saves time but there is also a risk of fraud, identity theft and data breach with it. It is important that you are safe when buying things online. The following are useful tips that may assist you when doing your online shopping on how you can shop online securely to keep yourself and your personal information protected. Life became easy with the advent of online shopping, there’s nothing we can’t buy on net but this platform also brings the biggest risks such as Fraud, Identity theft and Data breaches.

1. Shop on Secure Websites

Always ensure the website you are buying from is secure. Check the URL at the top of your page – you should see a lock and “https://” if something is encrypted.

Do not enter your personal details into sites that do not have these security features.

Bottom Line: If you can, keep to larger merchants or reputable marketplaces

2. Use Strong, Unique Passwords

Use Good Passwords for your Online ShoppingCppGuid These should be a combination of letters (upper and lower case), numbers, and punctuation.

Do not use the same password for different sites as this can lead to a wider potential attack in case of a breach.

Note: You may want to use a password manager to create, and keep track of, those impossible-to-remember passwords.

3. Never Use Public Wi-Fi for Transactions

Hackers can access your data between the time you send it and when it gets to the intended point on a public Wi-Fi network. Do not shop or passing your information through a public WiFi.

If you have to connect through public Wi-Fi, use VPN (Virtual Private Network) so that your connection gets encrypted.

Pro tip: Disable the auto-connect option on your devices to prevent them from connecting automatically to unsecured networks.

4. Use Two-Factor Authentication — 2FA

Where you can, add two-factor authentication to your shopping accounts. This way, even if someone knows your password they are still going to need the secondary code which is sent to you via some method like text or app.

Pro Tip: Use an Authentication App instead of the SMS since it can be intercepted.

5. Have Some Other Way Like Credit Card, Or Make Payment Secure

Credit Cards, No Debitenic Cardenic Card.concurrentonlinOnline PurchaseTips Credit cards are much safer (by law) and you can dispute a charge if it was not authorized.

On the other hand, you can use secure payment services like PayPal or Apple and Google Pay that work as intermediaries, so your card details are not accessible by the vendor.

Tip: Never leave the numbers saved to shopping sites to avoid them at risk of being hacked.

6. Be Wary of Phishing Scams

Credit card fraud-phishing emails and fake sites Beware of emails asking you to “verify” or “update” your account payment details.

Always visit the website yourself by entering the web address into your browser: never click on links in emails or messages.

Hint: Look for email and web addresses with subtle misspellings or suspicious domain names.

7. Update Your Devices and Software

Use shopping apps from previously mentioned official app stores and update your device software as well as all web browsers.

Keep your devices up to date, use automatic updating wherever you can to make it easier for yourself.

Pro Tip: Use a trusted antivirus on your laptop and smartphone it will have high likely chance of detecting malware or phishing attempt.

8. Check Bank Statements Often

Watch your bank and credit card statements for unauthorized charges after buying things online. This way, you can limit the damage if your information is accessed due to a security breach.

Enroll in email and text alerts from your bank or credit card servicer that will alert you to unusual financial activities.

Tip: If you notice anything strange, call your bank or card provider and report the charge.

9. Examine Return and Privacy Policies

Inquiries into extracted return policy before making a purchase, i.e you are eligible for money back in case any?【Conclusion】

Don’t forget to read the privacy policy to know how the company collects, uses and secures your data. Good companies are straight forward how they use your private information.

TIP: The most reliable businesses will have privacy policies while the less trustworthy ones have very vague or no privacy policies.

10. Avoids Naturally Compelling Deals

Very low prices are often used by scammers to get you to purchase items from impostor or unreliable websites. If it is too good to be true, then it likely is.

Make online research and see the reviews and ratings of the online store before buying something from them.

Suggestion: Check for customer reviews, website appearance and contact details etc.

Conclusion

When it comes to shopping online, keeping yourself safe is a blend between vigilance and common sense. Stay secure: Shop only from secure websites, create strong passwords, and monitor for scam sites that could take your financial or personal information. Follow these basic precautions so that you can then continue to shop online without fear of risks.