Cybercrime: 4 Keys to Safe Online Shopping
Online shopping can speed up your purchases and orders, but it also has the potential to cause real problems if the sites are not secure.
To ensure you don’t fall into the trap of an e-commerce site designed for scams, Personal Pay tells you the four key factors you should keep in mind to ensure you’re shopping on a site that’s considered safe.
1. Security lock
The “closed” padlock icon next to a website’s address is one of the first steps to quickly verify whether that web address (the so-called “URL”) is secure. This is equivalent to saying it should begin with “https,” since having an “s” at the end indicates that it meets international security standards for websites.
2. Similar addresses and spelling mistakes
In many online scams, people are deceived by creating websites or social media profiles with names similar to those of the brand they’re trying to duplicate, with the exception of small, imperceptible changes from the original. These can include spelling errors or the addition of an extra letter or symbol to deceive you. They often even use the original company logos!
The advice to avoid falling for these scams is to carefully review the originating address or the company profile.
3. Links and messages received
Fraudulent purchases often occur when you receive unknown links. Where? Through emails, text messages, or instant messages on social media. Ideally, you shouldn’t click on the link to avoid contracting a virus, and you shouldn’t respond to those messages either. Instead, we suggest you independently search for and visit the official website of the brand you’re interested in.
4. Secure payment methods
When making online transactions, it’s essential to ensure you use secure payment methods to protect your financial information. One of the best practices is to use recognized and trusted payment services or secure payment platforms provided by reputable banks or financial institutions.
In summary
To shop safely online, pay close attention to the origin of the website or social network you visit, as well as the emails you receive with fabulous-looking offers and promotions. Shop only on official and trustworthy websites to minimize the risk of falling for online scams and fraud.
