Online Shopping Safety
11/15/2023
Online Shopping Safety
In 2019, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received 1,300 online theft complaints a day (ic3.gov). This resulted in $3.5 billion in consumer losses. If you are shopping online this holiday season, make sure you keep in mind online shopping safety. Keep reading for some quick tips!
Quick Tip #1: Use a Credit Card
There are a couple reasons that using a credit card instead of a debit card to shop online is a good idea. A credit card keeps the funds in your checking account secure. If you happen to purchase from a fraudulent website using a debit card, the scammer will have access to all the funds in your account. However, if you use a credit card, they will only have access to your line of credit. If you do have to report a fraudulent charge, using a credit card will prevent the day-to-day funds in your checking account from being affected while your case is investigated.
Quick Tip #2: Beware of Social Media
Shopping scams on social media are extremely common. Many of these scams advertise too-good-to-be-true discounts. If you see products at a significant discount, make sure you double check the URL. Even better, independently visit the website through your browser and not through the social media ad.
In some cases, an item purchased through a scam ad looks nothing like what was ordered. It might be a completely different product when delivered—or it never arrives at all. The best way to avoid these types of social media scams is to vet any new vendors. Consider visiting websites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or reading consumer reviews before purchasing from any new websites. Another tip is to Google it! Search for a vendor with the word “scam” or “legit” to see what other consumers are saying about the vendor online.
Quick Tip #3: Guard Personal Information
There are many ways to guard your personal information while online shopping. No legitimate online retailer needs your social security number or birthday to complete a transaction. If a retailer asks for anything above the usual email address, shipping address, and payment information, you should double check the legitimacy of the retailer.
Another easy way to guard your personal information is to make sure checkout pages use a secure sockets layer (SSL) that is notated by a lock near the URL and a URL that starts with HTTPS. These webpages provide extra encryption designed to protect your personal and financial information.
Quick Tip #4: Report Scammers
If you encounter or are a victim of an online shopping scam, make sure you report the scam. To report a scam, visit FTC.gov/complaint.
This holiday season, make sure you add online shopping safety to your list. Happy shopping!
Sources:
https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/shopping-safely-online
https://lifelock.norton.com/learn/internet-security/safe-online-shopping
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/14-tips-for-safe-online-shopping