Avoiding Fraud When Shopping Online

__The internet age has given us many new ways to navigate our lives. From online dating to higher learning, the internet has opened doors to many new ways of doing things. One of the more popular internet activities over the past decade is the rise of online shopping. Nothing beats being able to shop from the Apple Store on Cyber Monday without having to leave the comfort of your couch. eCommerce is here to stay, but how do you avoid becoming a victim of fraud while you search the online racks for your next great cardigan? __

Let’s have a look at the top five ways to keep your finances safe while you shop from home.

Qualify the Identity of the Seller

Are you thinking about pulling the trigger on a beautiful set of diamond earrings for your 5th anniversary? Before you click send, have you ensured that the seller you’re dealing with is an actual person? Do your homework before you buy and check the website details thoroughly. Call any customer service numbers that may be available, seek out social profiles to confirm identification, and research the company or seller by reviewing Google reviews from local clients. You can never have too much information, and the more you know, the safer you will be.

Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.

Avoiding Giving Away Too Much Data

When making purchases online, always remember that the only details you should need to hand over to a seller are your credit card numbers, address, and phone number; that’s it. If you are being asked to give any more information than that to make a purchase, your spidey sense should be tingling, and you should discontinue the transaction. With the correct information, thieves can steal everything from you with the click of a button, so keep yourself safe by keeping your cards close to your chest.

Only Purchase From Secure Websites

When it comes to eCommerce, faking a website’s data encryption is very easy to do. If the site you’re planning to purchase from doesn’t have Secure Sockets Layer encryption, do yourself a favor and stop the purchase in its tracks. If there’s no padlock icon located within the address bar, it’s a good chance that someone is waiting to steal your information.

Check Your Statements Every Month

Don’t wait for your physical statement to show up in the mail; instead, make sure that you’re tracking your online purchases by viewing your credit card, debit card, and checking accounts frequently. By reviewing your financial assets each week, you’re better able to spot fraudulent charges when they occur, and that means you’ll have tremendous success fighting the fraud charges with your bank.

Research the Website Your Buying From

Avoid being taken advantage of by researching the site you are on. When you’re purchasing from a reputable website, it shows. There are no spelling mistakes or improper grammar, and the look and feel of the websites are pretty refined. If there are broken links, spelling mistakes, and low-quality pictures, chances are it’s a fake website.

Shopping online can be a great way to score massive deals and find hard-to-get merchandise, but it can also open you to all kinds of online fraud. By following these five tips, you’ll be able to enjoy your shopping experience knowing you are safe to spend as you see fit!

Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.