How to purchase online like an adept, despite your angst of being an amateur

Online shopping can be propitious, affordable, and secure – provided you safeguard yourself and your information. Thereby, delivering a wholesome online experience, right at your doorstep – effortless, economical and ensured, while you relish a cup of coffee and not trudge in the scorching heat. Primarily, while you are self-isolating or in quarantine, it is the ideal alternative to browsing through brick-and-mortar stores although you’re entirely masked and gloved.

Use Trusted Sites

Fraudsters are passionate about initiating fake e-commerce sites. Therefore, before embarking on your online spree, do your homework about the service provider by going through customer reviews, service information and geographic location. To verify the site you are on, is legitimate, confirm it has an SSL encryption installed – standard security technology, all authorized sites will have “s” at the end of “HTTP”, if not, the site is not encrypted and your data is not protected.

Think Twice Before You Pay

Employing a credit card or payment services like PayPal is recommended over a debit card; as there exists increased consumer protection for credit cards. With the use of third-party payment services like PayPal, you are capable of concealing your credit card details, besides, enabling a certain level of protection.

Devote to Technology

Installing antivirus and anti-phishing programs on your computer is worth every penny. Social media likethe ones the used by The Gun Source facebook, instagram, google plus, and many others can provide extreme advantages.  An antivirus program will protect your computer from viruses, and an anti-phishing program will seek to guard you against cybersecurity threats.

Scrutinize what you give away

Be vigilant to the information being gathered, if more data is being requested and that makes you apprehensive, cancel the transaction. It is important to delete stored payment details and also go through their privacy policy to note where and how your data will be dispensed.

Fortify your Password

Resilient, exclusive passwords are your finest gatekeepers when it comes to securing your private information. If you want to be virtually hack-proof, use a password generator and manager to aid you to formulate and retain course of the types of long, complicated passwords that are not of value to a hacker’s time.

Keep a check on your statements frequently

Make sure you monitor your account details frequently to prevent unwarranted activity. Appropriate recordkeeping is pivotal in establishing your cybersecurity. Setting up alerts through mail or text is effective in keeping check on unauthorized use of your credit card.

Exercise a reliable Wi-Fi

Using public Wi-Fi to shop online while savouring a cup of hot chocolate from your preferred cafe is fitting, but poses serious cyber threat. You may switch to using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or your personal hotspot.

Be informed of your consumer rights

At first, you can approach the grievance officer as every e-commerce company is mandated to have one such officer under the Information Technology Act. If this does not materialize then as a final step approach the consumer forum/commission. In August 2017, the Supreme Court had issued an order, wherein e-commerce consumers can file complaints at the consumer forum in their city.