How to Stay Safe From Identity Theft While Shopping Online

How to avoid identity theft while shopping online

The best way to avoid online identity theft while shopping is to use a specialist identity theft protection service, like IdentityIQ. However, there are other steps you can take to stay secure. Here are some of our top tips for safe online shopping.

Check the website

First, be cautious about which websites you’re using. Ideally, you want to use an established website as it’s more likely to have strong security and a good track record. However, if you have to shop elsewhere then it’s best to research the website thoroughly first by reading online reviews or what other shoppers have said on social media. It’s also important to make sure the URL you’re using while shopping begins with ‘https://’ and not the far less secure ‘http://’, but a good browser will do that for you already.

Keep your accounts secure

Almost every online shop wants you to create an account with them, and this usually makes your life much easier if you’re a frequent customer. When you shop at so many different places it can be tempting to use the same password for every store – it’s certainly a lot easier to remember. However, if just one of your accounts is breached by hackers (perhaps using information found on the dark web) then all of your shopping accounts are in danger of being hijacked. This only gets worse if you have your payment information stored in that account. It’s therefore strongly recommended that you create strong passwords for each online store that you use. Of course, you don’t have to memorize every single one: using a password manager is a safe way to keep all your passwords and vital information sealed in an encrypted vault.

How identity theft protection helps online shoppers

Fortunately, you’re not alone in the fight against online thieves: identity theft protection services offer various tools to keep you safe while shopping. We’ll be using the example of IdentityIQ – an identity theft protection service with several features that are ideal for safe online shopping. For example, IdentityIQ provides dark web monitoring, which scours the dark web for your leaked personal details (typically due to no fault of your own). These details could then be used by hackers to gain access to your online accounts. From there, they can do a huge amount of damage using your payment information if your card details are stored in those accounts.

All identity theft protection solutions monitor your credit score. If someone has been wreaking havoc with your credit card without your knowledge, then naturally your credit score will be negatively affected. IdentityIQ will notify you immediately, allowing you to react promptly. If you do become a victim of online shopping identity theft, IdentityIQ is able to help shoulder the financial burden. Like many other services, IdentityIQ offers up to $1 million dollars in identity theft insurance for any stolen funds, and they also help cover lost wages and legal expertise. Their expert staff will help guide you through the recovery process, so you can soon get back on your feet. It’s a reassuring safety net that you will hopefully never have to use, but without identity theft protection you could end up with hundreds of hours of paperwork and possibly a heavy financial loss.