Article Of The Week
Safe online transactions tips
With the advancement of online technology, more and more businesses are moving online. There is hardly any need now to personally make a trip down to the local mega-store and buy products. From clothing to video games to pharmaceutical products, almost everything can be found online.
Most websites selling products or services utilize credit card transactions, as well as Paypal (a popular online payment portal).
However, are online transactions really safe? How does the average consumer ensure that they do not get hoodwinked while making a purchase online?
Here are a few tips to take note of:
1. Do not make online transactions using public computers. Public computers might have “keyloggers” (programs that log keystrokes) and other spyware to retrieve sensitive information.
2. When making transactions from your personal computer, ensure that you have the basic security measures up-to-date. (E.g. Firewall, anti-virus program, anti-spyware programs)
3. When comparing prices of products, take note of any company which have prices that are very much lower than their competitor’s. This company might be a fraud.
4. Always attempt to make transactions on the actual website. Do not attempt any purchases via links in emails. Those emails might be frauds.
5. Only make transactions on sites that display a security icon (check for the little lock located on the lower right hand corner of your browser). Websites like Amazon.com, Ebay.com, Craigslist.org and Ablewise.com provide very secure payment methods for their products and services.
6. Ensure that the “http” in your browser’s address bar has changed to “https” to indicate a secure transaction.
7. Before giving any sensitive details (e.g. credit card numbers), call up the vendor in order to check their authenticity. At the minimum, liaise with the vendor via email, find out specific details of your purchase, and how you are going to purchase it.
8. Always keep a printout of the receipt which is provided at the end of transactions. Match these receipts with your credit card statement to ensure that the correct amount has been credited.
Lastly, ensure that your passwords, credit card numbers and other sensitive information are kept secret at all times. If you suspect, even a little bit, that your account has been compromised, notify the webmaster and request that they cancel or suspend your account immediately.
