One of the biggest advantages of the Internet age is the ability to take care of business transactions, purchases, and bills remotely. Between the COVID-19 epidemic and the approaching holiday season, shopping online is a godsend. But, as with all modern technology, the Internet is also a double-edged sword.
Making purchases from the comfort of your home means that your sensitive personal information will be flying around and may end up in the wrong hands. While it’s the retailer’s job to protect the information you leave on their website, the sad truth is that some of them simply don’t. And there are a lot of ways for scam artists and cybercriminals to take advantage of unsecured websites, from stealing information and sending malware to a complete takeover.
So, before you share sensitive information or make a payment online, it’s also your responsibility to make sure the website is safe. And we’re about to show you what signs to look for.
S is for Security
The letter ʽSʼ in the HTTPS shows the website URL is secure, meaning that all the communication between the site and your browser is encrypted. This security comes from the SSL certificate that protects all the sensitive information you enter, also indicated by the green padlock icon. While HTTPS doesn’t mean that the website is completely secure, it is a good starting point to know your information is not up for grabs to cybercriminals. In other words, it’s the first layer of protection, and any website without it that requests sensitive or financial information is the one you should stay away from.
Read Real Reviews
Before you start digging through the website for the tell-tale security flaws, the second step should be to do some quick research. Fake sites will have fake reviews and recommendations posted by the creator, so you should search for genuine ones elsewhere. For example, if you want to play online games, you can find a list of reliable sites to ensure you have a safe gaming experience and a fun time.
Then you can double-check that information simply by typing the name of the website in your search engine. If it’s a popular and reputable site, you’ll get a lot of information on it in your results, posted by other users. This can cover topics like experience with products and customer service to warnings about scams and things to avoid.
Trust Your Gut
Once on the website, always trust your first impression. If something seems even slightly off, you should search for an answer as to why that is. Cybercriminals want to start with their scams quickly and disappear before the authorities can take action against them, so many fake websites are put together in haste. That can leave a lot of tell-tale signs such as poor quality images and videos, as well as spelling errors, especially when it comes to the name of the products and brands.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean that every fake website would be sloppy. Some of them will have a very faithful design to their genuine counterparts, so it’s good to know the brand before shopping online. That way it’ll be easier to recognize if the design matches the style of a certain brand.
If you’re not familiar enough with the brand, you should always go through the website’s content more thoroughly before leaving your sensitive information. Genuine and legitimate businesses always want to make the perfect impression on their websites, so even a small number of grammar and spelling mistakes can show a lack of care and indicate the possibility of a scam.
Look for contact details
Along the same track, legitimate sites will always contain full identifying contact information. So not just email addresses, but also social media accounts, phone numbers, physical addresses, and returns policy – all the things that can easily be traced and checked. Every piece of contact information needs to be displayed clearly. If it doesn’t match what you know about a certain business or it’s nowhere to be found, the site is probably a fake one. Having the means to reach someone in case you need assistance is an important part of every legitimate business.
Make Sure They Care
Data privacy laws exist worldwide, from Australia to the EU where they’re particularly strict. Among other things, they require every website to have a privacy policy that clearly communicates how the website collects, uses, and protects your personal information. While impeccable design and full contact information show that a certain company cares for their business and customers, a privacy policy is a clear sign that the owner also cares about the safety of the website by complying with the correct laws and regulations. So don’t just check if there is one, but read it through to make sure everything is in order.
Personal information translates to cash for cybercriminals so be sure they’ll be looking for every hole in the website’s security. That means you need to do the same. Start with the SSL certificate, pay attention to the design, look for contact information and privacy policy, and don’t forget to search the web for reviews and recommendations left by other genuine users. The increased traffic and online sales in the upcoming holiday season are among the reasons why you should be mindful of the above and exercise caution – but really, staying safe online should be a priority all year round.
