Safety Tips for Online Shopping
Shopping online saves time and many times items may be a bit cheaper when shopping online. Many retail stores will offer this service and often have online sales. When shopping online it is important to be security conscious to ensure that banking and personal information are kept safe.
Only Use Reputable Companies
There are literally thousands of online shopping options, but it is recommended by security experts to only shop at reputable online shopping stores that are well known and established. Shoppers must look out for the “https” at the start of the weblink. If it has “http” it is not as safe. The “s” means that there is an extra layer of security and the site is encrypted. Do not give out any banking information on a site that seems unsecure. Before shopping do some research online and find reviews of people who have shopped at that particular online store.
Public Wi-Fi is Unsafe
Public Wi-Fi connections are a risky option for online shoppers and if playing the online bingo Canada has to offer, and it is difficult to know if these networks are being watched by hackers or con artists looking to steal banking information. Even though the Wi-Fi network may seem secure it is always best to be safe and use a private network that you know if safe and where hackers are not able to get into. Shoppers should never give out their banking or personal information on these public networks.
Credit Cards are Safer
The safety experts suggest using a credit card instead of a debit card for online shopping. If a situation does arise where banking details are compromised a credit card usually has a limit on it and credit cards are not linked directly to the financial accounts whereas debit cards are directly linked. The best possible option is to use payment processors; the most well-known, being PayPal and many of them offer shoppers benefits and extra security. Always check bank statements to make sure there are not unusual transactions.
Never Save Personal Information
Shoppers should NEVER save their personal information when asked on a website. It does not matter where you shop or which item is being purchased. It may seem at the time so much easier and convenient to save these details, but it is a great risk. Even it takes a few more seconds rather enter banking details each time. There are horrifying stories of people losing thousands because of data breaches and these can be avoided. One easy way to avoid being hacked is to use a password that is difficult to guess and use numbers and symbols in the password. Passwords should also be changed regularly for extra safety.
Read Everything Carefully
Every site will have a privacy policy and this will inform shoppers about how their personal information will be used. Many times we assume all is well and do not even read these policies. It is important to read these as some companies may sell personal information to other companies, which may not be a safe and secure source.