Stay safe if shopping online this Christmas

November 14, 2013

Kerry Schultz

Internet shopping is for many a regular occurrence and leading up to the Festive Season it can become frequent. There are different reasons people use internet shopping which include convenience, product sourcing & price. Whatever the reason is something you should always be considering is the information you give over the internet for these purchases. This time of year it is very common to have your credit card details stolen, receive fraudulent emails, and even have your personal details stolen.

A few tips to consider when purchasing goods online are the following:

• Number one and most important – Make sure you have good antivirus software and that it’s up to date!
• Use a secure browser – Look for an ‘s’ after the ‘http’ in any web address when making purchases and paying for them
• Use PayPal – Using PayPal means you don’t have to enter your credit card details when purchasing online
• Check reviews of seller/website & the product – Reviews can be misleading however it does pay to do this as part of your checking
• Check return policies – Ensure you know your rights before ordering something you have not physically seen
• Keep track of delivery times – If you have not received your good/s by the estimated deliver times contact the seller
• Review seller’s privacy policy – Privacy policies ensure your information will not be shares with other parties
• Do not use public computers to make internet purchases – Third parties may be able to access your browsing history and retrieve your personal details
• Keep records of purchase amounts, payments details, and return policies
• Never send payment information via email – Email is not fully protected from being read by third parties
• Review your credit/debit card statements regularly to ensure only transactions you have authorised are on your statement – If you notice anything suspicious investigate immediately!

Happy Christmas Shopping!

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