Reports of lost money from social media scams have more than tripled in the past year, according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Check out our online shopping safety tips so you can avoid becoming their latest victim. Firefox is a trademark of Mozilla Foundation. That means you’re not out any money if a crook uses your account info to make a purchase. You might get a card and find it's already been used. Your credit card company will ask questions, investigate the fraudulent activity and send you a new card. Increased interest in online shopping may lead to more opportunities for cybercriminals to steal credit card information. Please review complete Terms during enrollment or setup. There's no real need to be any more nervous about shopping on a mobile device than online. If you're wary of a site, perform your due diligence. Even returns are easy, with the right e-tailers. If you receive an enticing offer, do not click on the link. If nothing else, make absolutely sure you've got a concrete address and a working phone number for the seller. Whether it means getting the best price on the latest video game or purchasing the perfect pair of shoes, online shopping gives us access to products, services, and special deals that might be unavailable to us otherwise. 5 tips on how to shop online safely 1. Why? Posted at 5:46 AM, Oct 13, 2020 . But increased online shopping and home deliveries also bring in the potential for online scams and cybercriminals to take advantage. Avoid shopping from public Wi-Fi next time you’re sipping a latte at your favorite coffee shop. https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/14-tips-for-safe-online-shopping, Eric has been writing about tech for 28 years. There was a victim of identity theft every 3 seconds in 2019°, so don’t wait to get identity theft protection. Bookmark your favorite shopping sites to get there quickly and safely. Our goal is to increase awareness about cyber safety. How you can protect your financial information when shopping online. If you see nothing but positive feedback and can't tell if the writers are legitimate customers, follow your instincts. If your debit card is compromised, scammers have direct access to your bank funds. Avoid clicking on shopping links from social media and chat apps. If a site does request this type of very personal information, run in the other direction. However, if crooks get them and your credit card number, they … The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. Safe online shopping is a reality, provided you follow the above tips and recommendations. Always use a credit card to shop as securely as possible. The Better Business Bureau has an online directory and a scam tracker. Look for the padlock Always use … Online Shopping Tips. Tip: If you suspect you may be a victim of ID theft, the FTC offers an identity theft recovery plan. Bookmark your favorite shopping sites to get there quickly and safely. Plus, you're avoiding card skimmers—hell, you don't even need to take your credit card with you if you only go places that accept phone-based payments. If you're going to be like the latter group, we will again beat this dead horse about making sure that you utilize uncrackable passwords. Put companies through the wringer before you plunk down your credit card number. Of course, such convenience comes with a price, and as with most things related to the internet, that price is privacy and information security. It will keep track of them and enter them, so you don't have to think about it. It's one thing to hand over a credit card to get swiped at the checkout, but when you have to enter the credit card number and expiration date and 3-digit code on the back into a  shopping site while sitting in a public cafe, you're giving an over-the-shoulder snooper plenty of time to see the goods. Use the links below to access quick internet safety tips, and ideas for improving communication and protecting your family online. Paying for items using your smartphone is pretty standard these days in brick-and-mortar stores, and is actually even more secure than using your credit card. Here are more ways to protect your online privacy. Many a phone app will now accept payment using Apple Pay and Google Pay. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. It’s best to shop directly with online retailers you know and trust. We have to address this issue, as more and more people prefer the convenience and efficiency of online shopping, either for gifts or for holiday groceries. Copyright © 2021 NortonLifeLock Inc. All rights reserved. Do your homework: Fraudsters are fond of setting up fake e-commerce sites. Online shopping can be so much fun: You find a shiny object you love, click the “buy” button, and get a package delivered to your door. Secure sites typically carry the “Https” tag (with SSL certificate protection), while their insecure counterparts adopt the “Http” tag. But following these online shopping safety tips may help you foil scammers and avoid becoming a target in the first place. If you know the site, chances are it's less likely to be a rip-off. 3. Our old tips for creating a unique password can come in handy during a time of year when shopping around probably means creating new accounts on e-commerce sites. It only takes minutes to enroll. Stay ahead of online scammers and identity thieves by using these tips to help secure your personal information while shopping online. Make sure your anti-malware tools are always up to date. First, a credit card doesn’t give a seller direct access to the money in your bank account. Start your protection, The only time you should enter sensitive information using a public … Think like a gangster: Sit in the back, facing the door. A strong password is like a secure lock that keeps cyberthieves out of the accounts where you store your private information. Don’t forsake security for convenience. For more, read our Tips for Public Wi-Fi Hotspot Security. They may remove the charge from your bill and look into the matter. Microsoft and the Window logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. These are some really simple ways to shop safely online you can use every day: Research retailers online to make sure they’re legitimate. If a thief gets ahold of the virtual credit card number and later tries to use it, they’ll be out of luck. Look for any fraudulent charges, even originating from payment sites like PayPal and Venmo. These scammers can really suck the joy out of shopping. 10 Tips for a Safer Online Shopping Experience. Never buy anything online using your credit card from a site that doesn't have SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption installed—at the very least. Start your protection now. Complain to the seller. If you don't get satisfaction, report it to the Federal Trade Commission, your state's attorney general, even the FBI. We all know Amazon.com carries everything under the sun; likewise, just about every major retail outlet has an online store, from Target to Best Buy to Home Depot. A VPN is the only way to shop online safely from public Wi-Fi in airports, cafes and other public spaces. Delete suspicious messages from unfamiliar senders. And e-commerce growth is accelerating each year. It’s best to shop directly with online retailers you know and trust. After you make the purchase, keep the details in a safe place. So a site without it should stand out even more. While somewhat alarming, these stats should not keep you from shopping online. Check your bank and credit card statements for fraudulent charges at least once a week. 7. … Any of the providers in our roundup of the Fastest Free Nationwide Wi-Fi can generally be trusted, but you should probably also use a virtual private network (VPN) to be safe (here's why). Last year, an estimated 1.92 billion people made a purchase online: around a quarter of the world’s population. Otherwise, they can let in any new threats—and there are always new threats. You have 30 days to notify the bank or card issuer of problems, however; after that, you might be liable for the charges anyway. When shopping online, be sure to take your time, and read the fine print before submitting your order. If the merchant refuses to provide shipping info or respond to your requests for the status of your order, contact your credit card issuer for help. Skip the debit card. As we mentioned in our "What is a URL" article, many websites today use the Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) as opposed to the regular Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). enroll in minutes. Be wary of public WiFi. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. And shopping online often requires giving out information that an ID thief would love to grab, including your name, address and credit card number. Second, most credit cards offer $0 liability for fraud. There's a reason that non-delivery/non-payment is the most common cybercrime complaint: it hurts when that happens, financially and emotionally. And in the age of COVID, it's safer than going out even if you're fully masked and gloved. There's no real need to be any more nervous about shopping on a mobile device than online. The smarter move: use a password manager to create uncrackable passwords for you. It happens. Instead, get very, very mad. Online shopping safety tips. Shop with major retailers. Online shopping has become a popular way to purchase items without the hassles of traffic and crowds. Or consider a long passphrase that you can remember and others are unlikely to guess. Online Shopping Safety Tips. Keeping yourself safe online is a must — … Make a “purchase” on an illegitimate site and you may unwittingly hand the scammers your credit card number and other personal info. No online shopping e-tailer needs your Social Security number or your birthday to do business. However, the internet has unique risks, so it is important to take steps to protect yourself when shopping online. Don’t forsake security for convenience. Another essential online safety tip is to create strong passwords for each of your online accounts including shopping sites. Yes, sales on these sites might look enticing, but that's how they trick you into giving up your info. Because debit cards are linked to your bank account, you’re at much higher risk if someone is able to hack your information. Did you get scammed? These tips can help. What about using your own laptop to shop while you're out? Then take it a step further: call the business to verify. Unusually low prices could be a red flag that you’ve landed on a fake site that’s been set up to snag your personal information or steal your money. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis, LLC and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. 5. Shopping only on secure sites reduces the risk that your private information will be compromised while you shop. 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