Today, more and more people are doing shopping online. In the modern world, this is a good way to save money and time, as well as to be able to make transactions at any given time. Nevertheless, the buying process on the Internet is associated with certain risks, which sometimes people do not think about. Luckily, you can protect yourself by observing only a few important rules that we have listed below.
Making Purchases on a Trusted Online Stores
It is best, of course, to buy goods on well-known websites. If you decide to make a purchase on an unfamiliar online store and get say used baby items, first of all, you should read the reviews of other customers and find all the contact information of the store such as its address, telephone number and when the store was opened.
Checking if the Online Store is Safe
You should always pay attention to what the store looks like. Good stores invest sufficient funds in their design; create a convenient and user-friendly interface and so on and so forth. Do not be lazy and read about what payment methods the store offers as well as learn about the delivery and return options. A large number of such options indicates that the store pays sufficient attention to the customer service, which is a huge plus.
When buying goods online, you are to fill out a special form where you punch in your contact information such as your name and address, your phone number, e-mail, and payment details of the bankcard, including the CVV2 / CVC2 codes. Therefore, if you have decided that the online store can be trusted and you would like to proceed with payment, pay attention to the top line of the browser. The web address of the site should be converted to “https”, and the lock icon also should appear. This indicates that the online store uses a secure data transfer protocol.
A separate Credit Card for Online Shopping
Another option to protect yourself from data theft and other types of fraud is to get a separate credit card. Keep in mind that you should have only the amount of money that is needed to make a purchase on such a card. Many banks provide their customers with an even more advanced protection technology called “3D Secure”. The system works the following way: to confirm the payment transaction, you need to enter an additional password that the bank sends to your mobile phone every time you make an online purchase.
As an alternative to a separate credit card for online shopping, you can also use some payment services. For example, Paypal payment systems are constantly improved and regarded as the safest ones.
We also recommend that after every transaction you delete the temporary files of your browser (cache) and cookies.
By following these simple tips, you will protect yourself against various types of Internet fraud and you will be able to purchase sewing machine, smartphones, clothing etc. with minimum risk!