When online shopping is such a fun and ease, it can be a serious nuisance if you don’t take care of a few things while buying. The news nowadays is filled with cybercrime reports and the reason is you can be easily tracked by thieves and hackers on the web. The Internet has both the pros and cons and to save yourself from the latter, you have got to be smart and fully aware of the consequences. Below is how you can stay safe while shopping online at any marketplace!
- Buy From Renowned Stores Only
Your gut will tell you about this! Just like you don’t shop from the external markets that do not have a good reputation, you should apply the same while shopping online. Now, the question is new stores are coming into the market every day, then what to do about that? The answer is to look into their “privacy” column and learn how serious the matter of security is to them. The trustworthy places have their policies loud and clear, and the reviews will help you in deciding whether to shop or not.
- Avoid Using Public Wi-Fi
Never, I repeat, NEVER use public Wi-Fi for online shopping even when you are buying from a reliable store. The reason is you never know who is scanning your financial or personal information at the backstage and how it can be used negatively. What is more, the public Wi-Fi available at restaurants or malls are usually run by nasty units because the business itself doesn’t have enough time to take care of these things, so they give the responsibility to other entities.
The smartest action is to consider all the public Wi-Fis unsafe, no matter how much they assure you of safety. Do not enter your personal, payment, and bank account information openly.
- Use Credit Card Over Debit Card
The best way is to pay through Cash on Delivery (COD) as you have to pay only when you have the product in your hands. However, COD isn’t the safest way either because you can’t open the package before paying, so whatever is inside is a risk. Therefore, using a credit card is the smartest choice as the company is liable to refund you for falsified charges. The Fair Credit Billing Check gives this right to the customer so you are safe to go with a credit card. However, you should always keep a keen eye on your statement and report to the bank if you suspect any unusual activity on your card.
- Avoid Saving Your Information
Even though it’s very convenient to save your personal information for next purchase, it is advisable not to do so no matter how much you trust the store. The reason is you never know when the system they are using gets hacked as data breaches is a common practice nowadays. Put a little effort into entering your details every time you buy to save yourself from online hazards and have a piece of mind.
