Online shopping has become a part of everyday’s life but it can be dangerous if you’re not using it safely. For example, in 2009 my brother was looking for a job online, so he came across this website that asked for a $1. 9 and they would provide him with a job. My brother got my dad’s credit card and paid the $1. 79 but they didn’t provide him with any jobs.
At the end of the month my dad received his credit card statement and it turned out that they had taken one hundred seventy nine dollars twice. We tried contacting them with the number they provided online but it didn’t work, so we called the credit card company. The company took like two months to get a hold of them and get the money back. So how many of you guys shop online? Do you all know if the websites you use are safe or not?
Main Point 1: Use the most Secure and up to date browser. Check the web address for “https” (not “http”)
- Legitimate business often put an effort to show their customers they are a credible business by using the SSL protocol on their website.
- When the SSL protocol is active the customers will see the “https” in front of the web address.
- The “s” at the end of the “https” stands for secure, and it signifies that the business has been granted a digital certificate that shows that the business is a trusted party.
Look for a padlock icon.
- The padlock icon is another way you can know that the website is secure.
- Look for a closed padlock at the bottom of your browser. If the padlock is opened then the website is not secure.
- Some scammers can duplicate the appearance of these symbols but they do not always replicate the detailed information in the padlock symbol.
Transitions: Now I’m going to talk about the payment methods.
Main Point 2: use the safest payment method. Choose credit card over debit.
- Credit cards offer protection from identity theft that debit cards don’t.
- If you are using your debit card online and someone get hold of your account number they can clean out your checking account without you know. It will take a while for you to get your money back, but you might not get all of your money back.
Disposable credit cards would be better.
- Disposable credit cards work like gift cards.
- You can add whatever amount of money you want on it and its good until your money is gone.
- Both Visa and American Express offer disposable credit cards, and if the card is stolen, criminals can’t gain access to anything more than the amount on it.
Transitions: (you shouldn’t use a website that looks good, it might not be true. )
Main Point 3: Stick with what you know. Shop with big name stores.
- Visit stores with big names. These stores have a reputation to withhold and they take more precautionary steps to ensure that your shopping experience will remains safe.
- One reason is that a bigger company will have more resources available to combat those who would try to commit fraud. The safety of their website is important to the business.
- Also, another reason is that when using your credit card on websites with big-name companies, that if something goes wrong with the transaction or if you want to make a return or an exchange you might be able to go to a physical store to solve the problem.
Just go to a physical store
- This is the easiest way you can shop without being scared .
- You can always return or exchange whatever you don’t want and no one will get a hold of your credit card number.
- It’s also the safest way; you will be sure that your receiving the items your paying for.
Main Point 4: If any of us has been a victim, what should we do next?
Don’t panic. We need to work the problem out directly with the seller, buyer or site operator by:
- Sending them emails,
- Sending them letters via mail,
- Calling them through phone.
We need to contact our bank or credit card agencies to get further assistance. They could protect our money from hackers/scammers. The agent or bank officer could block or freeze our account at the moment so scammers cannot do further crime. Keep all of the evidence of the offence.
Conclusion
Now that I have informed you about online shopping safety, I hope that all of you understood what to look for to make sure the website is safe. As I mentioned before you should always make sure that the website is secure, pay with the safest payment method, use websites with big names or shop in a physical store. Also, know what to do if you become a victim of online shopping. You should always be careful when shopping online. Don’t fall for the deals that seem to be too good to be true.
