Online Shopping, also known as e-commerce or electronic shopping, has become integrated into our daily lives and more and more users have turned to it in recent years.
Online Shopping became more popular during the COVID-19, where restrictions and lockdowns imposed new ways of shopping. The internet and digital shopping platforms are now an integral part of our social and economic lives, ensuring the safe and efficient purchase of products and services.
However, the ability to shop through digital platforms comes with its own challenges, requiring consumers to be vigilant and aware of current security procedures and protocols. For example, it is necessary to ensure the confidentiality of users' personal and banking details, as well as the security of payments.
Although online shopping is very convenient, as you can shop for whatever you want from wherever you want, there are also many risks.
Scammers create fake shopping websites that look like genuine e-commerce stores, but are designed to steal cash, passwords, or personal information.
Most of these fake websites offer luxury items, such as popular clothing brands, jewelry, and electronics. But they offer them at much lower prices to lure unsuspecting users.
See also: Advantage of online shopping: No one judges you for what you buy
How to identify fake shopping websites
1. URL red flags
The quickest way to tell if a website is secure is to check for HTTPS, with a padlock next to it, in the URL. HTTPS indicates that the website uses SSL encryption, which is superior to HTTP.
Another telltale sign is if the website URL looks suspiciously like the official address of a genuine retailer, but is slightly different.
2. Check the domain history
The domain names of fake online shopping websites have certainly been registered relatively recently, while a well-known company that has been around for years will have been registered much earlier. You can use the internet to check how long a website has been around.
3. Pixelated images
Fake websites mostly feature images stolen from a legitimate seller's website or from Google. As a result, most of the images displayed on fake websites are low quality and sometimes appear pixelated.
4. Grammatical and syntactic errors / amateur website design
A very simple and poorly designed website should catch your eye. If you find key elements missing or you spot various errors, then something is probably wrong. Legitimate companies usually have a team of writers who pay attention to the appearance and content of their sites. Online scammers don’t take the time or may not have the ability to create good copy.
5. Very low prices
Very low prices for products that you know are actually expensive are a clear sign of a scam. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't.
6. Limited contact information
When buying a product online, first confirm the online seller's physical address, support email, and phone number. If you see anything strange, like a customer service email that's a random Yahoo or Gmail account instead of a corporate one, don't buy from that store.
7. Complicated or non-existent return policy
Reputable companies are clear about their return and refund policies. Scammers, on the other hand, often don't bother to think much about the return policies displayed on their websites.
8. Questionable payment options
Legitimate brands will always give you the option to pay with traditional and secure methods—including credit cards, cash on delivery, or pay later.
Fake shopping sites usually try to force you to pay for goods using irreversible and untraceable payment methods. These include bank transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrencies, or payment apps.
See also: Samsung: At the top of the global smartphone market with 20% market share
Guide to safe online shopping
1. Always place orders from a secure connection
Use a device with antivirus software and use a secure connection – make sure your computer's firewall is enabled
Also, avoid financial transactions when using a public network, as you may not know if it has been compromised.
2. Shop from sites you know are reliable
If you already know the store, your purchases will be reasonably safe. If you don't know the store, take a few precautions. Do an online check to see if the store has a presence and check reviews from other users.
3. Check if the website is secure
Before entering personal or credit card information on a shopping website, look to see if the address on the page starts with “https:” and not “http:”
4. Avoid offers that seem “too good to be true”“
Any online store that promises something good at a very low price is suspicious. If the price is very low, then most likely, the product is not genuine or may not work properly or even worse it may be a complete scam and you may never receive it.
5. If you are purchasing a gift card, read the Terms and Conditions
If the gift card is intended for someone else, make sure the store is legitimate.
6. Check the information requested by the store
When you make a purchase from an online store, you are required to provide certain information, such as a payment method, shipping address, phone number, and email address. However, if the merchant asks for other information that is not related to the purchase, be suspicious. Do not give out your bank account information, social security number, or driver's license number.
See also: The best cybersecurity tools for 2023
7. Use a credit card or PayPal
Don't use a debit card, as it doesn't have any protection in case something goes wrong. Credit card purchases are safer, as your bank account won't be at risk. Consider setting up a credit card that's only for online purchases and transactions. That way, if the card is compromised, you can quickly stop it from working without affecting other types of transactions.
8. Check shipping terms
Some merchants charge exorbitant shipping costs, which can turn your purchase into an expensive mistake.
9. Use a reliable internet security program
The best way to stay safe online is to use an effective security product. And that goes for online shopping too. Security features like real-time phishing protection and identity theft protection are more important than ever.
