When shopping online, you want to ensure that your credit card and personal information is as safe as possible. It is extremely difficult to tell who true and who is simply an identity thief is waiting to steal your personal information. Many websites, nowadays, are created to resemble other legitimate websites, especially those where customers go to shop. How can you tell which are the true sites and which are the imitations run back hackers?
Here are a few ways to make sure the website you are visiting is safe for you to shop with online.
Investigate
If you’re unsure of a website’s safety, it is best to stop before clicking on any links. To check for a site’s credibility, simply copy the link and click on the site mentioned in this article. This particular website will tell you whether or not the site is trustworthy. If you choose not to do this, you can also search for reviews of the site. You can find these on any social media platform, and these will typically give you a bit of insight into the true nature of the website. Another thing for you to investigate is to check for unauthorized credit inquiries. If the website is asking you about your personal credit questions, it might not be safe.
Trustworthy Certificate
It can be confusing to understand which certificates are trustworthy. If the site you are on begins with the “https”, then chances are your site is safe. There are some sights, however, that will purchase cheap valid certificates to trick consumers into putting in their personal information and credit card information. In the article, they give specific details on how to decipher between secure connections and non-secure connections.
Can I Call You?
There are many things about a website that will give away its credibility. For one, if a shopping website contains a phone number and physical address, chances are, it’s legitimate. Websites that only want your private information will not give away that much detail about themselves. They will hide every bit of that. You can check the phone number and address by doing a quick google search. If both check out, it’s safe to safe that the shopping website is safe for you.
Returns Accepted
If a website claims they accept returns, they are most likely a true website. Consider a shopping website that sells you items but puts the words “no returns” in their information. It might not be a credible site. In fact, you might never receive your item at all, only a phone call from your credit card company or bank stating that your card has been compromised. If a shopping website allows you to return your items, then you can assume that they are safe.
I Need My Privacy
Websites that offer you a privacy policy are placed in the legitimate column. Privacy policies are legal documents that you can hold the company liable for if anything bad were to happen. Of course, any phishing website that only wants your information, will not offer you a privacy policy because they simply do not care. By reading through the policy, you can tell whether or not the website is credible. By scanning through the policy, you can know that the website should protect your private information.
Shopping online can be a scary feat, which can outweigh the benefits of online shopping. There are so many websites out there that are not credible. They are run by identity thieves just seeking out unsuspecting consumer’s personal information to use, sell, or ruin. It can be difficult to decipher between the credible websites and the phishing websites. With a few simple steps and a few minutes, you can find the answers you need to make your online shopping experience safe. Your private information will be safe, and you won’t be worried about your credit being ruined. It can be a great thing, online shopping, but it is best to take precautions when enjoying your shopping online. Just remember that not everyone is legitimate, run your quick tests, and enjoy your shopping time.