5 Top Tips for safe online shopping

There are obviously endless reasons to shop online all over the world. There is a bargain. The choice is daunting. Shopping is safe. Shipping is fast. With the right e-tailer, returns are easy. You can just never run out of excuses to shop online. Shopping has never been easier and more convenient for consumers. And in the COVID era, nothing is safer than staying indoors and shopping online.

But even shopping online needs you to be a smart buyer. Whenever an online transaction is involved there are always chances of cyber fraud. So, how can you avoid these bad guys and shop without any worries? Well, here is a list of some top-class practical advice you can follow to shop with confidence without ever being worried.

1. Choose a trusted site-

Start with a trusted site. Search results can be incorrect and confusing, especially if you go past the first few pages of the link. If you know the site, you are unlikely to be a rip-off. Everyone knows that Amazon.com carries everything in the sun. Similarly, almost every major retailer, from Target to Best Buy to Home Depot, has an online store. Beware of misspellings and sites using different top-level domains (for example, .net instead of .com). These are the oldest tricks in the book. Yes, sales on these sites may look attractive, but that's a way to trick you into giving up your information.

1. Look for the sites which have encryption installed-

Do not use your credit card to buy anything online, at least from sites that do not have Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption installed. The URL of your site starts with HTTPS as well as HTTP, so you can tell if your site has SSL. The locked padlock icon is displayed. It usually appears on the left side of the URL in the address bar, or in the status bar below. It depends on your browser. HTTPS is now standard on non-shopping sites, and Google Chrome is enough to flag pages without extra S as "insecure". Therefore, sites without it should be even more prominent. Our-Eshop is one of the trusted online stationery shop which has secure Socket Layer encryption installed and is trusted by many online buyers.

1. Create strong passwords-

A survey stated that 11% of people who are either delusional, liar, or delusional liar have claimed to change their password every day. But the majority of people change their passwords only several times a year (27%) and (35%) in fact never change their password. If you're like the latter group, you'll beat this dead horse again for ensuring that you use unbreakable passwords. It's not as important as when banking or shopping online. Old tips for creating unique passwords are useful when shopping probably means creating a new account on an e-commerce site. Even your perfect password isn't perfect. Smarter behavior is to use a password manager to create unbreakable passwords. You don't have to think about it as it tracks and inputs them

1. Check Your Statements Regularly-

Don't wait for your invoice to arrive at the end of the month. To view your credit, debit, and checking electronic statements, please visit the sites regularly, especially during the holiday season. Look for fraudulent charges originating from payment sites such as PayPal and vice versa because there are multiple ways to get your money. You definitely need to buy online only with a credit card. If a debit card is compromised, fraudsters have direct access to bank funds. Sellers who want another type of payment, such as wired money, are a big red flag. The Fair Credit Billing Act guarantees that if you face any fraud activity, you will only be liable for up to $ 50 in credit card charges that you do not allow. Even if you are not happy with the purchase you made, there is protection for that as well. 

1. Use Mobile Payment Options-

Paying for goods using a smartphone is fairly standard in physical stores these days and is actually even safer than using a credit card. Mobile payment apps like Apple Pay generate a one-time authorization code for purchases that no one else can steal or use. In addition, it avoids card skimmers. If you just go to a place where you can pay by phone, you don't even need to bring your credit card. How important is it if you are shopping online? Many phone apps are now accepting payments using Apple Pay and Google Pay. To do that instantly, you need a fingerprint, face recognization, or passcode and you are good to go.

Bonus Tip:-

1. Use a private and Secure Wifi-

If you're shopping through public hotspots, stick to a known network, even for free networks like those found in Starbucks and Burns & Noble stores. All of the fastest free Wi-Fi providers are generally reliable, but you should also use a virtual private network (VPN) for security.

For your next online purchase keep these tips in your mind and you will never fall prey to any online fraud activities. Be a smart buyer! Visit Our-Eshop for all your stationery needs and online printing services, avail of great discounts on the latest products.