We’ve been witnessing a massive shift towards online shopping over the past several years, and this trend has really boomed over the past twelve months because of the pandemic. Even those who were reluctant to purchase goods and services online before are now forced to do so, which means that e-commerce has become part of almost everyone’s life now. Since the trend is likely to continue in the future, we simply need to look at potential problems all of us will be facing.
Namely, security issues have never been so prominent as right now, when most of the world is shopping online. With many people using this option for the first time, it’s understandable that they are much more likely to fall victim of various online scams. To help them avoid these problems and to remind more seasoned online shoppers about potential problems related to online shopping, we’ve prepared the following list of tips you should follow each time you make an online purchase.
You need strong passwords
The more complex your password is, the more secure you’ll be. Make sure that your password can’t be guessed easily, so avoid using your birthdays, nicknames and names of your loved ones as passwords. Although such passwords are easy to remember and, thus, more convenient to you, you must remember that hackers will have little trouble cracking it. You should think of a strong and complex password and write it down somewhere.
Avoid non-HTTP sites
Before making any purchase, make sure the website you’re considering has relevant security in place to protect your personal details and information and ensure that the transition is secure. Every website that is selling products and requires personal information, such as payment card details, should have HTTPS status, meaning that the security of the site has been upgraded to handle this kind of sensitive information. You need to look for the little padlock logo in the URL of the website you’re viewing products on. Every reputable and trustworthy e-commerce store, such as the popular Shoppster, should have it.
Avoid unsolicited clickable links
Another thing you should be aware of when browsing the net are unsolicited clickable links that might pop up or appear on the page in front of you. You should be careful not to enter any personal data into any kind of form that’s not an integral part of the sites you’re accessing. The thing is, hackers and spammers use various methods of attempting to glean personal details from unsuspecting members of the public using these kinds of techniques, so ignore such form when shopping online.
Be extra careful with your mobile phone
A lot of transactions are done over mobile phones and other portable gadgets, but we should really be careful about using them. A risky mobile app and untrustworthy messages sent by text message and via apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger can actually present a major threat to your security online.
Make sure your software is up to date
Regardless of the device you use to browse, it’s bound to have a wide range of software installed, some of which are responsible for helping you keep as safe and secure as possible online. However, for them to work properly, you need to ensure that they are regularly updated. Luckily, with most modern software, you can turn on automatic updates, so that it gets updated in the background as soon as an important update becomes available.
Use secure connections
You should always use secure and private internet connections when making purchases and transactions online. Never use a public connection that may not have optimum levels of privacy and security. Namely, you need to enter private information, such as your personal details and credit or debit card details and you don’t want to use a public computer that someone can use after you.
Stick to your personal devices that only you and your friends and family that you know and trust use. The information transmitted over public connections can be captured by hackers and cybercriminals since such connections often don’t have the same levels of security that you have when using your own private devices.
If you follow the advice highlighted above and employ a good amount of common sense while looking to purchase products online, you should find that you have no major issues and the experience is likely to be a very positive one. With so many exciting new products available to purchase online from a wide range of retailers, now is the time to exploit the option of online shopping.
However, you also need to exercise caution at all times, since a simple oversight can get you into a lot of trouble. If you are vigilant enough, you’ll stand every chance of enjoying all the benefits of online shopping. So, be careful and enjoy your shopping adventure!
