Shopping online can be potentially dangerous. Every year, there is an estimated $1.7 billion lost to online fraud in North America. There is no shortage of fraudsters and scammers lurking in the shadows, waiting for you to slip up and volunteer your details to them unknowingly. It is very important that when you are shopping online you exert as much caution as you possibly can so as to avoid falling victim to sophisticated online scams and fraud. Following the tips outlined on this page, you should be able to safely shop online without having to worry about losing out on your hard-earned cash.
Here are some proven ways that the experts suggest you shop online without falling victim to fraud.
Make Sure the Marketplace Is Responsible for Third-Party Sales
Unfortunately, many e-commerce websites are not held accountable for third-party sellers scamming on their platforms. Many buyers are left asking a common question after being duped by third-party sellers and finding the marketplace unable to refund them: what next? Sadly, there is little that you can do if the marketplace refuses accountability. Many people find themselves in this situation and are unable to get their products or their money returned to them, which for some, can be devastating.
This is why it is very important to only shop at marketplaces where the marketplace will accept full accountability for any instances of fraud or any scams. Laws are being introduced to ensure that marketplaces do accept responsibility for acts of fraud on their websites, but in the meantime, you can protect yourself by only shopping with marketplaces that will accept fault. Many of the leading e-commerce websites do accept accountability, thankfully. You can check if they do or do not on their questions an answer page just to make sure, however.
Only Shop on Secured Websites
It is very important that you only shop on websites that show up in your browser as being secure. If you shop at unsecured websites, then you risk compromising your card details and having your bank account used for the purposes of fraud. You can check whether or not a website is secured or unsecured by looking at the browser weblink. To the left of the web address, there will be either a tick or a cross; a tick indicating the website is secure, and across to the contrary. Shopping on a secured website means shopping safely.
Read Online Reviews
It is very important to read the reviews of any websites you are considering spending money with. You should make sure that you read online reviews to ensure that the website you are using is all above board as, unfortunately, many websites are created with the singular purpose of scamming you. Reviews that are created multiple times by the same person are likely fraud, and any reviews that look shady should act as a deterrent to you spending your money on that website. Many websites designed to scam you out of your money will employ people to write fake reviews. Be on the lookout for these.
Guard Your Card Details
A way experts say you can ensure that your card details are not abused online is to make sure they are not saved in your browsers or on your phone. Many people unknowingly save their card details online when they are entering them to make a purchase. While this may be convenient for some, for others it can prove very harmful. Having your card details saved online means that anybody could potentially access them if they gained access to your computer or device, thereby compromising your bank account and the money within.
Exert Common Sense
Whenever you are shopping online, you must exert some common sense. All of the aforementioned points are guaranteed ways to ensure you do not fall victim to a scam or fraud, but you must still be very sensible. If you do not exercise common sense, then the previous points will all have been in vain. Staying safe online is quite easy providing you are paying attention to what you are doing. It is very easy to tell whether a website is untrustworthy or not, and often on these websites, you will find deals that are far too good to be true.
You would not purchase designer clothes from a man holding a suitcase in an alleyway, and the internet is no different. Stay away from poorly designed and odd websites, and you should be fine. Common sense will prevail every single time, providing that you have some.
Now you know a few ways for you to stay safe online and not risk falling victim to sophisticated fraud or scams. The internet abounds with scam artists setting snares; do not allow yourself to fall into their traps.
