Considering the age we live in, it’s practically impossible to avoid online shopping. Hey, with how much it makes our lives easier, there’s no reason to shy away from it.
And while we all love the feeling of getting a package delivered to our doorstep, there’s one thing that might raise some concerns – online transactions.
The good news is that you can enjoy safe online payments and leave behind any worries related to the biggest cybersecurity threats that can accompany these transactions.
Start By Opting For The Safest Payment Methods…
There are many advantages of living in the 21st century – the plethora of options being one of them. There’s a good chance that you will be offered many payment methods once you get to the checkout process.
We’re going to list some of the most popular ones, and they all happen to be among the safest payment methods around.
Credit / Debit Cards
As the oldest online payment method around, credit/debit cards are usually the number one choice for all online shoppers.
They are accepted in the majority of online shops, with Visa and MasterCard being the two most widespread payment networks.
Mobile Wallets
Threatening to take over the popularity of credit/debit cards, mobile wallets like Apple Pay are regarded as some of the safest online payment methods around.
They come with multiple verification methods that reduce (and sometimes eliminate) the chance of anything going wrong security-wise.
Prepaid Payment Methods
There’s a good reason why this payment system would be considered safe, as they come with a fixed amount of money and are based on a 16-digit PIN code.
Due to their safety and convenience, you’ll find that a growing number of websites are accepting prepaid cards, which is best seen through their integration into the online gambling community.
There’s a good chance that credit/debit cards will be ditched once online gamblers find out that there are many Paysafecard accepting casinos around.
Clearly, the method you choose should be the one you are most comfortable using. That usually happens to be the one you are already utilizing in your daily life.
…And The Safest E-commerce Platforms
Unfortunately, with the rise of online shopping and mobile transactions, the number of fishy websites has also been growing by the day.
That’s why one should always conduct thorough research before giving up personal pieces of information. The best way to do that is by reading the comments on a store’s social media posts.
People aren’t shy to permanently leave their opinions for the world to see, and that’s something every online shopper should take advantage of.
Bonus points for you if you try to Google whether there are any Facebook groups created by unhappy customers. That would be a huge red flag telling you to run in the opposite direction of the shopping cart.
Try Not To Use Public Wi-fi During Transactions
Keep in mind that using public Wi-Fi during online transactions is a big no-no. This is THE spot where cybercriminals lurk, as they are trying to intercept your activities.
It’s not uncommon for them to set up rogue hotspots for people to connect to, and you don’t need us to tell you that connecting to one would be like opening up a gateway to hell – financially speaking.
If you must connect to public Wi-Fi while shopping online, it’s essential to choose a trusted network. The safest Wi-Fi networks are usually the ones that are provided by libraries, coffee shops, and restaurants, so you can use that as your starting point.
The fact that you’ll also get a nice place where you can sit down and unwind doesn’t hurt the situation.
Create Strong Passwords
Many times, users will create accounts with online stores in order to shop with ease.
We wouldn’t discourage that practice, but we would advise extra caution if you decide to go down this route.
The most important thing is to create a strong password that will differ from your social media, e-mail, and banking passwords.
A strong password consists of numbers, symbols, uppercase, and lowercase letters. And if you are not sure whether you have chosen a good password, consider this as a test – if you can find the word in a dictionary, then you need to try harder.
Watch Out For Phishing
We’re all suckers for a good deal. Every once in a while, you will come across an offer that seems too good to be true. In many situations, these offers that encourage you to act quickly or miss out on a good deal are usually phishing attacks.
Phishers are also responsible for suspicious e-mails and SMS messages, so always think twice before allowing yourself to become a victim of a scam.
Keep in mind that phishers are active all year round, but their activity peaks during times when the volume of online transactions is highest, such as during the holidays.
Consider Using A VPN
Most people first think about bypassing geo-locked content when they think about VPNs. However, the benefits of using them greatly surpass the possibility of watching a TV show or playing the hottest game around.
A reliable VPN can be all that you need in order to enjoy safe online payments, as it keeps your browsing history and online activity private.
Even a free VPN will help keep your data from being shared online, so you don’t have to worry about spending loads of money.
That being said, investing in a paid VPN will bring about many extra features, such as top-level data encryption and speed.
Every Little Thing Counts
At the end of the day, you don’t have to implement all of these strategies at the same time, although they certainly don’t hurt.
While it would be good to take no chances with your security, you can enjoy safe online payments simply by being more cautious and aware of the actions that you take. Shop on trusted websites only and best believe that you have already accomplished a lot safety-wise.
