8 Simple Ways for a Safe Online Shopping

The Internet has become the most reliable medium when looking for a particular product. Products available online range from clothes, shoes, accessories, automotive parts, and even big purchases like furniture items and home appliances. You can definitely find anything you want in the Internet. That’s how prevalent online shopping is these days.

You don’t need to spend on gas just to drive to the mall or ride the public transportation only to wait for long hours in traffic. With just a click of a button or a swipe on your smartphone’s screen, online shops or web stores have provided the consumers with a hassle-free way of purchasing goods.

Nonetheless, the Internet is still not a safe place free from crime and deception. There are those who lurk around ready to victimize those who are making their online purchases, and usual targets involve the personal and financial details of the buyers.

Here are 8 simple ways you can do to ensure safety when you are shopping online:

1.    Make sure you use secured browsing

One of the basic precautions you can do to provide safety when you are shopping online is to use safe browsing. You can use this even when you’re just browsing any websites. Instead of just using “http://” in the address bar, you need to use “https://” to ensure secure browsing every time you load a page.

2.    Updated anti-virus software

Make sure to update your computer's anti-virus software. An up-to-date anti-virus program can help block malwares and viruses when you are surfing online for products, services, deals or downloadables.

3.    Be cautious on clicking links attached in emails

Do you often receive emails with links or attachments you are not familiar about? Beware of clicking those kinds of links because they might contain viruses, malwares or any harmful media content that may infect your laptop, computers and even mobile devices.

As much as possible, avoid clicking on hyperlinks embedded in emails. The Better Business Bureau warns the online users and shoppers to be vigilant in opening attachments in their emails. They announced that legitimate businesses do not send emails asking for follow-up financial information. If you may have received that type of email, ignore it. You may also just type in the URL in the address bar of the site you want to visit into your browser.

The worst thing can happen when you have clicked an unwanted link is it can swipe away your data information not just in your devices but also for your online accounts.

4.    The inconvenience of public Wi-Fi

A lot of establishments offer Wi-Fi access to their customers. Whether you’re in a coffee shop or at the mall, you can readily connect to a Wi-Fi connection. Internet has become so convenient to many, but it can also pose a risk to your mobile privacy.

If you are going to shop online, make sure you are connected to a home or work network, and not in a public Wi-Fi connection.  Keep it in mind that you need to avoid entering passwords and credit card numbers while in public hotspots. There are hackers that can override the system and swoop your credit card information.

5.    Check the legitimacy of the website

Another way of protecting yourself from the risks of shopping online is to check its legitimacy. Do not buy from a website unless it is certified for safety.

To check for its legitimacy, you may install an add-on to your browser or use Google Safe Browse report. You may also check the content and photos on the website. Do these things look original and relevant to the products and services of the company? Look for the Contact Us page and see if they disclose their physical address. These are just few of the many things you can look for when scrutinizing a website’s credibility.

6.    Automated protection for credit cards

Credit cards are ideal to use when shopping online than debit cards. It is easier to check for erroneous charges in credit cards. If you call the credit card company or bank about fraudulent transactions on the billing statement, they can investigate by tracking the expenses made on your account.

Check if there’s an automatic identity theft protection that comes with your credit cards. You may ask your credit card provider about that matter. Better Business Bureau says that credit card companies are required to allow shoppers to dispute charges when they found out any fraud transactions done with their card.

7.    Don’t pay by wire transfer or debit card

According to the law, your liability is limited when you pay with credit cards. When you use your debit card, the money you are using comes straight from your account. It is difficult to get the cash back with this type of account.

8.    Change your password regularly

Changing your password regularly can help in reducing the risk of getting into any fraud actions. Just make sure to keep tabs of the password so that your account will not be blocked.

Internet criminals like hackers and scammers may bring disaster to your finances especially when they complete fraudulent transactions using your account. These easy-to-follow tips can greatly help in staying safe when shopping online. It’s not an enjoying experience if all of a sudden you see a whopping spend charged to your credit card or if you one day discover all your funds in your savings account are wiped out.

Note:

This post is exclusively written for ManilaShopper.com by MoneyMax.ph, the Philippines’ leading financial comparison portal which helps Filipino consumers make the right financial decisions as they settle on the best credit card, home loan, broadband plan, and more—fast, comprehensive, and free. Please do check our website to learn more.