Many of us now do our Christmas shopping online. Who can argue with people doing this when it’s so convenient, quick and easy! It also gets it out of the way instead of making the classic last minute rushes around the local shopping centre on Christmas Eve. With all this in mind and the number of online shoppers growing year on year, we have a few tips on how to stay clear of viruses, malware and other online threats before adding items to your basket.
Research:
Be sure to do your research before you buy from a seller that you have never done business with before – some attackers are masters in tricking people in to believing their site is 100% legitimate when really their malicious sites could cause you all sorts of problems. Before supplying any information, locate contact details and physical addresses of vendors in case of an issue with your payment transaction. For signs of making sure the website you’re using is real, look for the closed padlock icon on your web browser’s address bar or a URL address that begins with shttp or https. This indicates that the purchase is encrypted or secured. Never use unsecured wireless networks to make an online purchase. Before providing personal or financial information, check the website’s privacy policy too and make sure you understand how your details will be stored and used. Furthermore, searching reviews of the merchant will also put your mind at rest.
Use safe payment options:
Using credit cards is usually the safest bet. This is because they allow buyers to seek a credit from the issuer if the product isn’t delivered or isn’t what was ordered. In addition, unlike debit cards, credit cards may have a limit on the amount you will be responsible for paying if your information is stolen and used by someone else. Never send cash through the post or use a money-wiring service because you will not have any recourse if something goes wrong. Be sure to check out the returns policy, you want a no-hassle return if the product bought isn’t right.
Keep track of your transactions:
Printing and saving your transaction records for online shopping including the product, description, price, online receipt, terms of sale and copies of any email exchange with the seller. When you receive your credit card statement, check for any unusual charges and contact your bank immediately.
Turn your computer off:
When you’re not using your computer, it’s important to switch it off. Because whilst it’s connected to the internet, it gives scammers 24/7 access to your computer, allowing them to install malware and commit other cyber-crimes. So to make sure this can’t happen to you, just simply switch your computer off.
Email requests:
Cyber hackers may send emails requesting personal information, asking you to confirm purchase or to confirm your details. Legitimate businesses do not operate in this way, so if you are contacted this way, contact the merchant directly. Use contact information found on your account, not on the email sent to you.
Here’s our tips for protecting yourself from the cyber attackers:
• Download the latest security software; web browser and operating system to protect your computer from online threats.
• Create passwords that are long, strong and unique. They should include a capital letter, lowercase letters with numbers and symbols. Also creating a different password for each website you use to thwart cyber criminals.
• If you receive links by email; tweets; posts; and online advertising; it’s best to just delete or mark as junk mail.
• Check the website security by ensuring the sites begin with “https://” or “shttp://”. If they start with Http:// then the site isn’t secure.
• Help the authorities crack down on cybercrimes and report anything mentioned above immediately.
We hope these tips given you a clearer understanding how to protect yourself against a stressful Christmas this year!