Online shopping has taken the coined phrase, buyer beware, to a whole other level. Online shopping safety is a major concern in today’s Internet driven society and while it is a great way to shop there is still the fact that there are tons of online shopping risks associated with shopping online. Is online shopping safe? Below we will go into a few reasons that online shopping can be dangerous and what you can do to prevent the danger.
The reasons for taking online shopping safety seriously are varied. Not only do you have to watch out for scammers and make sure that your purchase is authentic, you are giving out your personal information to sellers and that can lead to everything from identity theft to someone showing up at her home in the middle of the night. Not everyone on the Internet is a good person. We preach safety online that to our children, we should practice it as well.
Safe online shopping comes by doing a few different things to ensure that your shopping experience is safe, secure and satisfying. Always make sure to verify whatever vendor you are doing business with. You can do this by going to reputable review sites and reading up on the company. There is always the Better Business Bureau as well. If they are a legitimate vendor they should be listed there or carry the Better Business Bureau logo.
Once you are ready to complete your transaction follow online shopping safety rules by checking to see that the webpage taking your information is secure. Two key signs that the site is secure are that the web address has an s after the http and that there is a picture of a padlock at the end of the address bar itself.
Most browsers have what is known as web browser security that will let you know if a site is unsafe or a phishing site. Pay attention to these warnings, they have been installed for online shopping safety. These sites not only may take your money, and you get nothing in return, but you never know what illegal activities they could be involved in.
Online shopping safety cannot be stressed enough and you have to be very careful what information you give out. Of course, you have to give certain details, but never, ever give your social security number just to make a purchase. If you are asked if you want to the computer to store your personal information it is always best to say no as well.