7 ways to protect your phone while shopping online
As we head to Christmas and New Year celebrations, many people make online orders through various shopping platforms.
However, cybercriminals are highly targeting online shoppers during this season.
Here are some ways to protect yourself while shopping at your favourite online retail shop
Shop with reputable retailers
As you make your order online this festive season, ensure that you shop with reputable retailers.
Avoid visiting online shopping sites that you have little or no information about.
On the other hand, you can also bookmark your favourite sites to get there quickly.
Completely avoid typing the name of the shopping site in the URL bar because you might click on a counterfeit site.
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Avoid offers that look too lucrative to be true
Most people are aware of the offers various reputable online shopping sites are offering.
Some counterfeit sites or fake shopping sites might offer discounts that look so lucrative. Such discounts are meant to confuse you and make you fall into the trap.
Always remember that if an offer looks too good to be true, then it probably is.
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Avoid free Wi-Fi
If you’re making your online order, avoid using public Wi-Fi. This is because you might encounter a ‘man-in-the-middle’ attacker.
Cybercriminals might also send malware that spies on your personal credentials.
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Avoid clicking strange apps
Say “no” to strange apps.
Scammers use mobile apps (and games) to hide malware that steals your personal information. Do not download apps unless they are from a reputable source.
Use credit cards
Credit – never debit – for online shopping. In case of fraud or a data breach, debit cards do not have the same consumer protections as credit cards.
Credit cards don’t give a seller direct access to the money in your bank account – debit cards do. If you rely on your debit card, you could be without that money for an extended period in the event of fraud.
Review your bank statements
Always ensure that you review your bank statements. Your bank and credit card statements should be frequently reviewed for unusual transactions.
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Use strong passwords
A strong password is one that’s easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess.
Having strong and unique passwords is key to protecting yourself online.
To secure your account, you should use a password manager. It will generate and remember different, complex passwords for each of your accounts. It will also protect you from logging into a fake site masquerading as a legitimate one.
You can also use multi-factor authentication for every site that offers it to further protect your accounts.
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