People have taken their shopping spree online, buying products at a variety of e-commerce stores. In the year 2022, e-stores saw a dramatic increase in sales with brands and local sellers shifting their marketing efforts online. Recent research shows that online sales are much bigger in size than onsite store sales.
Online shopping offers convenience and ease for customers by delivering products to their doorsteps at cheaper rates with a faster return policy. During the shopping season, the pace of online shopping touches its peak. On the other hand, cybercriminals also start their criminal activities at an accelerated pace.
People are attracted to their online favorites without realizing the seller’s intention. Without any precautions, consumers fell into the trap of fraudsters pretending to be sellers. Customers are attracted to their malicious intent like flies are attracted to honey.
Check out the top cyber security tips to ensure a safe online shopping experience with Managed System Solutions (MSS), managed IT provider in Indianapolis
- Unique Passwords for Different Accounts
Paraphrases are hard to crack, which gives cybercriminals hard nuts to crack. Changing or modifying passwords over time puts an extra layer on your account’s security. For instance, you buy items frequently from an e-commerce website, and it’s exposed to hackers that can compromise your credentials and make you susceptible to online threats.
With a similar password used on other accounts, you would be at great risk of losing data. So, changing passwords over time is essential & maintaining different passwords on all accounts enables more security. Password managers are a key asset to managing different passwords, so no one gains access to your information.
See the list of password managers:
• LastPass
• Dashlane
• LogMeOnce
• Bitwarden
• 1Password
• Keeper
- Buying from New Website
You should stay vigilant when buying from a new e-store, as it may be serving as a front for fraudsters or scammers. Take necessary precautions before providing your sensitive information, e.g. bank details, personal credentials etc.
You can also check for reviews or feedback from their customers to connect with consumer’s buying experience. If the website reviews are positive, then you may be safe to purchase online.
- Unrealistic Discounts Are Dangerous
Cybercriminals offer too low prices for products to gain consumer’s attention. Stay away from such offers and discounts to keep yourself secure from malicious intent. During the shopping season of Christmas, Black Friday, and other holidays, fraudulent activities gain pace, and more people become victims which translates into a loss of money or personal data.
On the other hand, substandard or poor-quality products and services are backed with unrealistic discounts. So, check for the reputation & authority of the brand before taking a decision. And always try to follow the famous saying, “It’s good to trust someone, but it’s better to trust no one”.
- Always Pay with Credit Card
Whenever performing an online transaction at an e-store, avoid using a debit card because it may get compromised. Hackers can have access to your bank account which will give you nightmares. You could lose all the money, and paying back from banks would be impossible.
On the other hand, a credit card gives you a sense of assurance because in case it gets compromised, banks could pay you back if you quickly report fraudulent transactions.
- Phishing Emails
The use of phishing emails is a prevalent practice by cybercriminals to trap online shoppers. By sending fraudulent emails, scammers pretend to be from legitimate or reputable entities for access to sensitive and personal data. Moreover, cybercriminals make their emails appealing and attractive, so consumers are enticed into giving their valuable details.
Malicious links and malware is attached to the email, which takes the user to the scam site. So, avoid clicking on the email link and visit the retailer’s official website to enjoy shopping with safety.
- Avoid posting online what you purchased
Most people advise against sharing your achievements on social media because not everyone can’t have the right intentions. When you share the product & its details on social media platforms, you invite cybercriminals to attack. The hackers may present themselves as a merchant by following up with you, so they can scam you off valuable money. So, always stay vigilant about the stuff you are sharing online.
- Importance of “HTTPS://”
Enter information only if the URL seems safe & make sure to insert “s” in “HTTPS://” with “lock” showing next to the URL. Don’t enter data if the URL starts with “http:”. Follow the good practice of checking URLs before sharing personal or sensitive information on sites. You may compromise your sensitive data, e.g., credit card details, log-in credentials etc.
Conclusion: (Managed IT Provider in Indianapolis)
So far, you have learned about the cyber security safety tips to ensure a safe online shopping experience, as proposed by Managed System Solutions, managed IT provider in Indianapolis. By following these top cyber security tips, enjoy shopping with security and lessen the chances of becoming a victim of cybercriminals.
