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Shopping for clothes and accessories online can be so much fun. Not to mention the better prices and deals you can find on online retail stores. Don’t worry if your dress is too short, or too long – you can always change the size or return anything you don’t like. However, cyberattacks are becoming common on websites. Hackers can get their hands on your payment info and sell it to other criminals, steal your identity, etc. Billions of archives of personal information are stolen annually, so you must be very careful while shopping online.
Many consumers complain about the fact that they’re not receiving what they’ve purchased online. They fell for fake deals and discounts, mostly found on social media platforms, or other web pages. They either receive used items, or nothing at all, and they even pay a high shipping charge. These scams can really turn off the joy of online shopping. Be a smart shopper and don’t put yourself at risk for identity theft. Here’s what you can do to secure all your online activity.
Scams.
Fake sales can trick people into paying for stuff they’ll never receive.
Viruses.
Clicking on malicious links can infect your device with viruses.
Stolen identity.
The more personal information you provide online, the more hackers will access your finances.
Stolen accounts.
Your email account and password can be compromised easily and hackers can gain access to your account credentials.
Luckily, there are some security tips you can follow and minimize your risks.
Buy from trusted websites.
Before making any online purchase, ensure that you only buy from trusted websites. you should avoid buying anything online using your credit or debit card from suspicious websites, especially if they don’t have SSL (secure socket layer) encryption installed. When buying accessories or clothes online, make sure you use reputable websites like H&M or Zara. You can protect yourself from hackers – go sit on the couch and shop for the latest tech gadgets or clothes safely.
Less popular websites can come up with scams. Buying cheap items online can be tempting – if you’ve found something you can’t get your mind off, check the legitimacy of the website and see what other online shoppers are saying about it. You might avoid some unpleasant surprises if you carefully check out the contact details before purchasing anything.
Use a secure internet network.
Public Wi-Fi is available literally anywhere – from the coffee shops to airports, hotels, and the people’s houses that we visit. Indeed, Wi-Fi has made our lives a lot easier – but it also comes up with risks to our laptops and smartphones. Unsecured networks are everywhere, so be sure to use the public Wi-Fi with caution, regardless of the connection type. Connect to secured public networks whenever possible, and if you’re not able to do it, it’s best to wait.
When connecting to a public Wi-Fi network, it’s important to not access personal bank accounts, or other sensitive data. Even secured networks can be risky – make sure you do all the work at home. Do not leave your computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet, or other devices unattended in public places. If the internet network is secure, it doesn’t mean that someone won’t stop and try to access your personal information on your computer.
Most importantly, don’t shop when you are connected to public Wi-Fi. You may think that online shopping doesn’t involve sensitive data, but it requires info such as a bank account. Otherwise, at least make sure you shop from reliable and trusted websites.
Keep your devices automatic connectivity turned off. Connecting to networks you normally don’t use isn’t recommended, especially if you travel to unknown places. Turn off your Wi-Fi, Mobile Data, and Bluetooth. Leaving them on while in public access can put you at high risk to cyberattacks. Bluetooth allows various devices to communicate with each other. Therefore, hackers will get access to your devices. Keep this function turned off when you leave home or work, and only use them in a secured area.
Avoid giving important information.
Shopping online, as mentioned before, is good for many reasons. You can avoid traffic, compare prices easily, and even get greater discounts than in physical stores. Most of us save bank details, salary records, or other financial statements in our email address. So, using these accounts for shopping is risky. If you frequently shop online, it’s wise to buy an identity insurance – it’s not expensive, and it will offer you with the security needed while navigating on the internet.
Keep an eye on your bank accounts and see if there are any missing funds. Make sure that you monitor your banking apps and see if something wrong is going on. You can determine potentially fraudulent activities and prevent any financial loss.
[Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels]
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