5 tips for safe online shopping

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. e-commerce retail sales totaled nearly $300 billion in the first quarter of 2024 alone. However, as online shopping becomes more popular, there are increasing risks to consider as cybercriminals are constantly looking for ways to steal money and steal identities.

In 2023, the FBI’s Cyber ​​Crime Complaint Center saw a 10% increase in complaints from the American public to a total of 880,418, resulting in potential losses of more than $12.5 billion, a 22% increase over the previous year. While there are many cybercrimes to worry about when shopping online, there are also ways to reduce your risk.

And it starts with a combination of common-sense practices and technology. Here’s what you need to know.

Find out now how LifeLock can help protect your identity online.

5 tips for safe online shopping

Consider the following five tips for safer online shopping:

Do your research

Part of the fun of shopping online is discovering new products from new sellers, but it’s worth being vigilant if you’re buying from a site you’re not familiar with. One safe online shopping tip from the National Council on Aging is to review the Better Business Bureau (BBB) ​​listings for these online companies. For example, if an e-commerce site was created to scam people, you may see a lot of BBB complaints.

Sometimes online shopping includes purchases from social media accounts. In this case, you can take steps such as checking if they have verified profiles and also reading customer reviews.

Find out how LifeLock helps you fight online identity theft.

Review your site’s security features

You should also check the site’s security features, such as checking whether the site begins with https, which means the site encrypts your information, explains the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

But even if you think you’re familiar with the site, you should still look for this information, as well as the lock icon next to the URL, which serves as another security indicator. This is because you may have made a mistake, such as typing one wrong letter, which led to a phishing site. These types of sites look legitimate, but they are set up to steal your credit cards or identity theft.

Be careful what you click on

One of the biggest dangers of shopping online is that you will fall victim to a phishing attack, which usually begins with an email purporting to be from a seller or shipping company about your order. However, when you click on the link, the email takes you to a page that asks for information such as your bank or credit card number, which, for example, goes directly to cybercriminals.

That’s why it’s important to be careful about any links you click on, not only via email but also through other channels such as social media platforms and pop-up ads. If you’re not sure what’s current, try going straight to the source. For example, instead of clicking on the link in an email about an alleged Amazon order, go directly to your Amazon account in a web browser to check the status of that order.

That said, accidents happen and it’s not always clear what is safe and what isn’t. In turn, it can be helpful to have a backup. Using a service like LifeLock can improve your privacy when shopping online while providing the protection you may need in case you become a victim of identity or credit card theft. For example, LifeLock Ultimate Plus membership provides up to $1 million in stolen funds refunds.

Use a VPN

Another way to reduce the risk of online shopping is to use a reputable virtual private network (VPN) provider to browse the Internet, especially if you use public Wi-Fi.

As the National Cybersecurity Alliance explains, public networks like those in coffee shops and airports are not very secure. If you use these networks to shop online, it’s possible that a criminal could, for example, digitally see you enter your credit card details, allowing them to use the details themselves. However, connecting via a VPN can help you gain more privacy if you need to complete an order while away from home.

LifeLock can help here too, as membership provides VPN access.

Consider your payment method

When it comes time to finalize your order, think twice about how you will pay for your purchase.

One way to reduce the risk of shopping online is to pay with a credit card, as the FTC suggests. This is because you have the right to dispute credit card charges and may face less liability for fraudulent purchases compared to other payment methods.

If you want to go a step further, you can use a virtual credit card number, which many credit card issuers offer. This way, if your virtual card number is exposed, at least your primary credit card number can remain unknown. Virtual credit cards may also have lower spending limits, which could limit the impact of a breach.

Finally, be aware of situations in which an online store asks for a specific, niche payment method and does not accept others. According to the FBI Field Office in Portland, Oregon, asking for payment by gift cards or wire transfer is a red flag that means you should not proceed with the transaction.

The most important thing

Online shopping can be fun, but it can also be risky. To reduce your risk of financial loss from issues such as online shopping fraud or data breaches, it’s a good idea to follow these best practices. It can also help you take advantage of safer online shopping technologies and identity monitoring services, such as those offered by LifeLock.