With Cyber Monday and Black Friday around the corner, it’s time to brush up your skills for safe online shopping. The holiday season has buyers falling victim to fake deals more than any other time during the year.


From learning how to identify shady websites to restricting the personal information you give online, it’s important to remain wary throughout your digital shopping journey.


Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind whilst purchasing online.



Shop with trusted retail websites


Make sure you purchase with popular or familiar websites. Search results can lead you astray and have your device infected with malware. Save your favourite shopping sites and make sure you navigate there quickly and safely.


Be careful when typing the name of the retailer in your browser. If there is a small typo, it could accidentally have you land on a fake site. You may not even notice this if it looks identical to the authentic one you are used to.


So, you may even end up unknowingly handing over your credit card details to hackers on an illegitimate website.



Review and check businesses you haven’t heard of before.


If you have come across a new online business and you are feeling tempted to shop on their site, make sure you read reviews carefully before sharing your personal information.


Some of these new online businesses may be nothing more than scams. They claim to sell gifts that are unusually cheap when compared to other businesses.



Stay away from deals that are ‘too-good-to-be-true’


This ties in with the tip mentioned above where deals which offer unrealistic discounts are usually scams. Cyber criminals offer remarkably low prices as means to entice buyers.


Seek advice and compare prices to confirm genuine discounts.



Use a VPN


Avoid using public Wi-Fi and if you cannot avoid using it, make sure you are secure with a VPN (Virtual Private Network).


A VPN has your computer connected to the server through an encrypted channel, protecting your data and ensuring it remains private.



Use complex passwords


Create dynamic passwords or passphrases for each shopping account. The longer and the more complex passwords are, the harder for hackers to guess them.


However, it is also important to come up with creative and fun passwords for easier recall. Remember to use two-factor authentication when possible.



Check security of the site before purchasing


If you are doubting the security of the shopping site, look for the padlock icon in the browser bar. This confirms that the site uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption. The URL should start with ‘https’ rather than just ‘http’.


Safe websites are built to hide data such as passwords or financial info. Shopping on secure sites minimises the risk of having your private information leaked while shopping.



Beware email scams


Watch out for fake emails or messages advertising fake deals. These are usually common phishing tactics baiting victims to shop on fake sites or else getting them to click on malicious links.


Delete suspicious emails and do not click on links in messages as they could infect your device with malware.



Restrict your personal information


Limit the amount of personal and private data you share on a website. Avoid websites that ask for very specific personal information.


Make sure the sellers ask for minimal personal information to complete a purchase.



Store your details in a secure place


After you complete a purchase, save your details in a secure place. Make sure you keep the purchase order number, receipt and the tracking number the seller provides.


Read carefully a retailer’s return policy to avoid losing money on unreputable websites.



Check your bank statements and set spending notifications


Go over your bank statements once the purchase is completed. This will help you monitor any fraudulent charges.


Set account alerts that will immediately inform you of any new suspicious activity on your card. When you receive a text message, check your account instantly to identify the charge.



Conclusion


Knowing how to put your safe online shopping skills to the test makes for a more pleasant online purchasing experience.
Remember to stay alert and remain informed on ways to avoid getting scammed or hacked whilst shopping online.