As fun and entertaining as online shopping is, there are many things to consider in terms of safety. Websites that may look real could be scams, products that look great could be knockoffs, and stores you think are reliable could take advantage of your card information. Keep reading to find out how to stay safe online while you’re shopping. 

Read Customer Reviews 

One of the greatest parts about online shopping is reading about others’ experiences with the company or product so you know what to expect. One easy way to see if a product is reliable is to scroll down to the reviews section and see what other customers had to say. Be careful, though, as some customer reviews could be spam placed there for potential customers to be tricked into buying the product they have their eye on.  

Make Sure the Website is Secure 

This simple double-check could save you lots of trouble while online shopping. Simply take a look at the URL of the website you’re shopping on to see if it’s secure. If it starts with “https” instead of “http,” that means the website will keep your data secure. This is very important since you want the card information you’re entering to be safe. 

Avoid Public Wi-Fi 

Your personal Wi-Fi or data is the smartest option when online shopping. Public Wi-Fi comes with its dangers since cybercriminals that are using the same network as you can hack into your information much easier. While browsing and shopping around using a public network isn’t harmful, don’t make any purchases until you’re connected to your own secure Wi-Fi. 

Do Some Research 

This is especially important when shopping from a business you’ve never purchased from before. Just checking reviews doesn’t always do the job – it's smart to do some research about the retailer so you know they’re legitimate. If you’re shopping on a well-known company’s website, double check the link to make sure you’re on the real website and not a fake one.  

Now that you know how important it is to stay safe online, you’ll be able to implement these tips next time you shop. Stay smart with your online purchases and feel free to contact us with any questions. Happy shopping!