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Online Shopping Safety Tips
This Christmas, British shoppers are expected to spend over a billion pounds a week online during December - totalling £5.6 billion - an increase of more than 55 per cent on last year’s spending (APACS, 2007). Before you buy your Christmas gifts online, make sure you read security tips to ensure you're not putting yourself at risk.
Protect yourself
The vast majority of broadband users now know how important it is to use some form of internet security and virus protection - either from a specialist provider such as Norton or McAfee, direct from their ISP or a free version downloaded from the internet.
However, it’s not enough to just install the software. You need to make sure that it is regularly updated to keep you protected from the latest viruses and Trojans. The best way to do this is to set your software to automatically update, so that you don’t need to remember to do it yourself.
Compare Internet Security software to find the best package for your PC this Christmas.
Verify your spends
According to Sandra Quinn, director of communications at APACS, we’re much more likely to use our credit cards when spending online, “which makes sense because of the extra consumer protection they provide.”
However if you use a MasterCard or Visa, make sure that you sign up for MasterCard SecureCode and Verified by Visa. These schemes offer additional security when you shop online by requiring a second level of password verification before your transaction can be processed.
There are also a number of similar schemes available through your bank that offer this sort of protection on your debit card too, so ask your bank if this is available to you.
Look for the lock
Before handing over your credit card details or any other personal information over the internet, make sure you’re on a secure website. Just look for the secure site lock icon at the bottom of the page and or the use of https at the start of the web address.
Don’t fall for phishing and spam
Five per cent of internet users admitted to buying products via spam emails which represents a worrying number of people (Sophos, 2007).
Only buy from known, trusted websites, following the guidelines above. You should never reply to spam or phishing emails - you don’t know who you’re replying to or who you’re buying from and could be putting yourself at risk of internet viruses and fraud.
Passwords
GetSafeOnline (see Useful Links), a government backed organisation that offers internet security advice, recently highlighted that 24 per cent of people use the same password across all websites. For people over 65, this figure rises to 51 per cent.
Vary your passwords, and although you need to be able to remember them, try to use ones that won’t be easily guessed. It’s surprising how many people use “password”, a pet or family name as their password.
If you have trouble remembering your passwords use a Password Manager to store your on and offline passwords keeping them secure.
Check your statements
Security doesn’t stop once you’ve finished your Christmas shopping. 90% of users never check all their transactions on their bank or credit card statements, according to ID Theft Protect (2007). Keep all your purchase confirmation emails and when you receive your credit and debit card statements, make sure you check all the transactions against where and what you’ve spent your money on.
Unfortunately Christmas is a time of year when fraudsters know they can get away with the most, as people go on spending sprees and assume they’ve just overspent when they check their balance.
When will it arrive?
The final thing you need to think about when shopping online is when your presents will arrive. Ensure you check the final date for ordering before Christmas otherwise you could end up with nothing under the tree.
Get a reward
Now that you know how to make sure your Christmas shopping will be safe online, why not spend on a credit card that gives you cashback, Nectar points or even a free flight in return for all your generosity?
Visit CreditChoices.co.uk and compare the latest Reward Credit Card Deals.
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