Black Friday and Cyber Monday come with a lot of hype. With the anxiety that comes with the shopping bonanza of Cyber Monday and Black Friday deals, it is important to take important security measures against boisterous shoppers as well as cyber criminals.
Here are reliable tips that you can use to ensure that you stay safe when shopping online during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Beware of fake websites
The majority of cybercrimes and frauds are perpetrated through fake websites. In most of the cases, individuals are lured by websites that tend to imitate the existing and well-known retailers. Often, such websites are characterized by the best Cyber Monday deals at incredible prices. After the shoppers pay for certain products, they either receive products of low quality, or they never get them at all. To avoid falling into such traps ensure that you scrutinize the authenticity of any website before making any payments.
Use credit card when paying
Credit cards are secure means of payment especially when engaging in online transactions. The reason for this is that consumers are protected to some extent should there be any problem with the delivery or the quality of goods. According to the Consumer Rights Act, you are entitled to a refund of your money for goods purchased through credit card and are faulty.
If you are buying through eBay, it is advisable to use PayPal since getting a refund for bank transfers is unlikely. One of the ways to identify suspicious deals is to be on the lookout for their payment means.
Authenticate the safety of any website before making purchases
Not all stores and sites online are secure. Many people have lost their information and money by sharing their credit card numbers and other personal information on sites that are not secure. Always check out for sites that have "https" in their URL. The‘s' in "https" implies security. In other cases, a green padlock appears on the left side of the browser. However, there are instances where you will find the padlock on the page instead of being in the browser's left side; such is a case of a fraudulent site.
Take note of “phishing" emails
Phishing has become a common trend nowadays. Cyber-attacks are carried out through phishing emails whereby the attackers send emails that resemble real and existing organization or even companies. Often, such emails are intended to dupe consumers to reveal certain personal information that can be used in committing various fraudulent activities.
In most cases, such emails come with links or even information that requires downloading. However, when you click on the provided links, they take you to a spoof website or ask you to download malicious software that can gain access to your personal details. Such emails are likely to be many as numerous people rush to get the best Cyber Monday deals. To avoid being a victim of identity left, do not click any links or download anything in such emails.
Don’t shop on public networks
Cybercrimes are often easy to be carried out through public networks such as Wi-Fi. Fraudsters can easily hack such networks and access the users' details. Also, with the advancement in technology, it has become easy for cybercriminals to set up hotspots that are fake for the purposes of stealing people’s information. It is advisable to avoid participating in any Cyber Monday shopping through public networks as these are vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
Conclusion
The introduction of the internet and computers has led to an influx of cyber criminals in online platforms. Such individuals are actively looking to lure and con unsuspecting shoppers. For this reason, you need to adopt safety measures when participating in Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.
Latest news
How to Prepare Your Online Business to Use Cyber Monday as a Great Opportunity
While most people focus on holiday’s like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah and maybe a few other holidays before the year ends, if you are a business owner, especially the owner of an ecommerce then the thing that you should focus on is cyber Monday. This is one of the biggest shopping days of the year and Read more about How to Prepare Your Online Business to Use Cyber Monday as a Great Opportunity[…]
How to Get Your E-mail Marketing Game Strong during Cyber Monday
If you are running a small business, then chances are that you already have an extensive base of customer’s emails, and if there was ever a time for you to use them, it’s now. Using emails as a marketing strategy can be perfect especially for days like cyber Monday since this is a day when Read more about How to Get Your E-mail Marketing Game Strong during Cyber Monday[…]
How to Find the Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Coupons For 2017
Black Friday and cyber Monday are pretty much the biggest shopping events of the year. They happen right before the holidays which makes it the perfect time for customers to start their holiday shopping early by taking advantage of some of those amazing black Friday and cyber Monday deals and offers. Since these holidays are Read more about How to Find the Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Coupons For 2017[…]