Check out our top tips to shopping safely online this Christmas.
A new survey on Cyber Security shows that only 12% of UK organisations are completely confident their endpoints are PCI compliant got us thinking about our security when shopping on the internet.
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So we put our heads together and came up with a few suggestions that should help minimise any threat when you’re shopping.
Christmas is one of the busiest times for shopping on the internet and in the rush to get things done, we don’t often pay as much attention as we probably should. With a few little ‘tweaks’ we can ensure that we don’t lose out to cyber theft.
Firstly – when shopping on the internet always use your credit card, that way any suspect amounts that appear on your statement, can be put back into your account and should the company you’re dealing with go bankrupt then you know you’ll get your money back.
If you buy something worth more than £100 online always use your credit card as opposed to your debit card. This is because if you spend more than £100 on your credit card, you have legal rights under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
Always ensure that you have an effective and updated internet security system such as Kaspersky on your PC which will give you the confidence to shop and bank safely online.
Never, ever, and we can’t say this strongly enough, keep your passwords on your computer – this would be a hackers dream come true, it’s so easy for these clever, but malicious, people to get access to your information, and to find your passwords would be gold dust to them and a nightmare for you.
Whether you’re shopping for Christmas or buying tickets for a show it’s never been easier to shop online but buyer beware. Before you tap in those all important card details check to make sure that the website you’re on is secure and trustworthy. A secure site will have a web address which begins with https:// (the s stands for secure) also take a look for a small padlock (possibly in the address bar) again this means the website is secure and you’re good to go.
Keep your wits about you, if an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is and these items could be counterfeit or pirated.
Should you receive an email from a company that you don’t recognise and haven’t contacted, offering you amazing value products or money off your purchase – don’t reply to them.
Record your purchase details. After you have purchased an item, always make sure to record the details of the time, date, receipt number, and order confirmation. If you can’t print one off, take a screenshot as a form of proof of purchase.
Go online and regularly check your debit and credit card statements, don’t wait until the end of the month when the bill arrives. Make sure there are no payments that you don’t recognise. If you do see something wrong pick up the phone and call your card company straight away to get this sorted out.
Don’t let the fear of internet fraud put you off shopping online, after all where else would you get such a mind boggling selection to choose from.
You’re also much more likely to snag a bargain when you’re browsing and shipping is fast and easy. Most companies even accept returns and make this easy too. Shopping has never been so easy and so much fun!
Do you have any online security tips that you’d like to share with other readers? Do get in touch below or tweet us at @underxmastree we’d love to hear from you.
