Did you know that online shopping scams were the second-most-common form of fraud reported in 2020? Only imposter scams were more common.
As Christmas approaches, many of us will go online to find the perfect presents at great prices. If we’re not careful, however, we may up paying the price. Literally!
Online shopping scams are easy to fall for and can end up costing you serious money.
Read on to learn how to avoid falling for any online shopping scams this Christmas.
How Do Online Shopping Scams Work?
The concept is very simple. Scammers set up fake websites that are designed to look like the real thing. Some may even try to imitate well-known online shopping websites.
When you make a purchase through one of these sites, you may end up receiving fake or worthless goods, or you may not even receive anything at all. Worse still, many of these sites allow the scammers to steal payment details so you may find that your card ends up being used by the scammers to make purchases of their own.
What Can You Do About It?
The good news is that in order for these scams to work, you need to actually make a purchase through the site. The scammers will use a number of tricks to encourage this, which if you know what to look for can help you spot the scam before you fall for it.
Be Wary of Low Prices
A common tactic to get people to use these sites is to offer very low prices.
If the price on a site is significantly lower than you’ve seen elsewhere, then this should be a red flag. Try using well-known price comparison sites to check out the current price on most sites. These sites will usually also offer direct links to trustworthy shopping websites.
Spelling Errors Are a Giveaway
Many of these fake sites will contain spelling errors or other mistakes that give them away as not being legit. If you spot an error, it’s best to look elsewhere.
You should also look out for web addresses that are slightly misspelled, such as amazom.com.
Only Use Secure Payment Services
You should try to ensure you only ever use secure payments services. If there’s no padlock in the URL bar, then this isn’t a secure transaction. Payment processing services such as PayPal are usually a safer option.
Use Only Trusted Websites
The best way to avoid scams is to stick to trusted websites.
These sites will use technology such as attack surface security to prevent online scams. By only using sites you trust, you’ll avoid most online shopping scams.
Don’t Fall for Online Shopping Scams
Sadly, online shopping scams are all too common these days, but as we have seen, there are steps you can take to avoid falling for them.
You should think of online shopping as no different from shopping in the real world. Would you give your money to someone who you didn’t really know and looked a little off? The answer is no, so it should be the same for websites. Sticking to trusted sites and being sure the site is really what it says it is are the best ways to stay safe online.
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