The shopping experience has been jazzed up by introducing convenience and speed collectively in the form of digitalization and online shopping. Over the past two years, online shopping has increased more than brick-and-mortar due to Covid-19, which resulted in massive digital transformation. In addition, the convenience involved in purchasing online has made consumers inclined to it even more than before, precisely due to the enhanced security that has swept out the skepticism and instilled confidence in the buyers, such as refund policy.
Furthermore, the eCommerce industry is predicted to grow 14.6% and 11.4% between 2022 and 2025, as mentioned by the statists. But does this factor eliminate the occurrence of fraudulence such as credit card scams, phishing, hacking, identity theft, counterfeit products, and data breaches? The real question arises: How can you prevent these elements from happening? The answer is simple; equipping yourself with adequate knowledge and employing a proactive approach to avoid this. This article will cover essential information to guard against possible danger while excitingly purchasing your favorite item.
Purchase from trusted and authentic sites
According to a recent survey in the U.S, studies revealed that 1 out of ten adults is trapped in the scam of fake websites annually. And this keeps on growing due to technological advances. Regardless, do not despair, as numerous strategies exist to combat this fraud.
When you visit a site, look for its address bar thoughtfully; for instance, check for the URL and find S, such as HTTPS:// or any lock symbol. This precaution does not eliminate the possibility of a scam, but it enlightens the consumer regarding secured encryption. Other precautions include checking up on the social media presence, domain page, poor grammar, privacy policy, and most importantly, running the website on a virus scan. I can guarantee these steps can guard against the scam but conduct your research on the brand before pursuing the order and information.
Watch out for any suspicious emails
The revolution in the digital world has certainly facilitated the process of online shopping but has also provided hackers and scammers to become more astute and cleverer. You may never imagine their trick and techniques, so many individuals fall prey to scams. In addition, the lack of information leads to darkness and fraud.
Now, hackers have adopted a new and prevalent method to access your information, such as sending emails asking for your account or further purchase information. Mind that authentic businesses and brands do not request sensitive information through emails. Upon receiving, avoid clicking on the link and delete the email immediately.
Make use of credit cards
I want to share a piece of speedy and wise advice that allocate a credit card solely for online transitions and shopping. Why? Because just in case of a scam, you can immediately shut it down without facing any hazardous consequences. Furthermore, if you utilize a debit card for this purpose, you should know that it does not protect you as a credit card does.
Use a stable data connection
What is the one thing that allows a hacker to trench your data? Weak data connection! With time, the security policy has become more reliable and advanced, ensuring your sensitive information is not breached.
Thanks to the cyber security survey, we learned the importance of installing a stable and secured data connection that protects us from potential danger online.
Search for feedback on the brand
A moderate search concerning the feedback and review of the brand can provide you with better knowledge as to whether purchase from here or not. In contact with a frequent online shopper, upon asking what influences her to buy from a particular brand, she responded, I check reviews and look at the pictures uploaded by the buyers to go further with my decision.
Go over the terms and conditions
Every website has specific terms and conditions that provide customers with information and requirements on sales and purchases. As experts say, before buying the product, have a quick look over the terms and conditions and collect evidence for all the needs mentioned to have a record that can help in case of fraud. Also, by doing so, you can get hold of something unusual and drop the idea of buying from that brand. Multiple online consumers have rated this strategy as effective.
Conclusion
In conclusion, shopping online can be safe if you take some precautions:
- Make sure you shop on a secure website by looking for HTTPS in the URL and a padlock icon.
- Pay securely using a credit card or PayPal rather than a debit card.
- If you have any concerns about a transaction, reach out to the website’s customer service department.
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