5 Tips for Safer Online Shopping

Looking forward, experts anticipate that worldwide ecommerce sales will grow from $1.3 trillion to $4.5 trillion by 2021. That’s a more than threefold increase in just six years. The stage is set, and shopping has never been easier.

But there is one thing you need to keep in mind: the bad guys are usually where the money is. This could serve as some sort of explanation for the rise in phishing attacks, and you may have heard of various breaches leaking sensitive customer data such as the huge Target hack that compromised the data of 70 million people and cost the company $220.5 million.

With all the data breaches we read about almost on a daily basis it’s important that you protect yourself and your sensitive data held within the online accounts. To help with that, here are our most important tips on securing your internet spending sprees.

2. Pay using a credit card or PayPal

Two of the safest ways to pay online are by PayPal or credit card. Both have their advantages, such as the easy checking of your statement via the online account. Look for fraudulent charges, and contact PayPal or the bank if you spot anything at all that might be a suspicious transaction.

We know it could become tiresome reading over and over again that you should create unique and cryptographically secure passwords for every online account, but that’s one of the basics of internet security. Skip this step and what you’ll essentially be doing is handing over your credit card data to a hacker and inviting them to shop with it.

5. Be cautious with home deliveries

While highly convenient, home deliveries also bring their own headaches. Is the guy you open the door to a legitimate delivery person? If you aren’t home and the package is left on your doorstep, will it remain there? We’ve all heard stories about packages being stolen by neighbors. And finally, check your credit card monthly statement for any unexpected changes: some customers have been ‘surprised’ by extra charges for delivery without their knowledge.