Online Shopping Safety

By the GWAAR Legal Services Team

Submitted by Bethany Schneider, ADRC Elder Benefit Specialist

These days, you can choose to shop in-store or online. Online shopping is convenient because it allows you to shop when the weather is terrible and traveling is dangerous. It also allows people with health issues to shop safely. These advantages make online shopping a popular choice. While it is convenient, it must be done carefully to protect your finances and your personal information.

Most people can spot fraud when they shop in person, but recognizing fraud online is trickier. Here are a few things you can do to ensure your online shopping experience is safe.Shop on websites you know and trust.

When you shop on websites of brands you know and trust, you can guarantee you get the product you want. Some websites try to sell products that look like the name brand but are of lower quality. Make sure you are buying the actual brand to ensure that you get high-quality products.

Make sure that there is a lock on the address bar.

To ensure the site is secure, look for the lock symbol on the browser address bar at the top of the webpage (where you type the name of the store you want to shop). This lock lets you know that your data transfers are more secure.

Know how much your item should cost.

Research the average cost of the item you want to purchase before you buy. If the price is too good to be true, it could be a scam, counterfeit, or low quality. Knowing the average price of the item you want to buy can help you identify quality products from trusted brands and weed out fake, low-quality products.

Research unknown store websites.

If you want to buy from a store you don’t know, you should do some research before buying anything. You can look them up on the Better Business Bureau to see if they have been tagged as a scam or have other customer service issues.

Give only the necessary information.

Don’t enter more information than you need into an online store’s checkout page. A store should only need your name and your mailing and billing addresses. Never give a shopping website your social security number.

Use a credit card when possible.

Try not to use a debit card to shop online. This makes it easier for scammers to access your bank account information directly. Credit cards have more protection from fraud, making them the safer payment option.

Review your credit card account.

Review your credit card accounts regularly to ensure there are no unapproved purchases. The sooner you catch a fraudulent charge on your account, the sooner you can fix it. Contact your credit card company immediately to alert them to suspicious charges and activity. There should be a customer service phone number on the back of your credit card.

Buy gift cards in-store.

If you buy gift cards, purchasing them directly from the store is the safest option. Some online vendors sell fake gift cards, so be aware of where you’re buying the gift card to avoid fraud.

Don’t shop online using public Wi-Fi.

Using public Wi-Fi to shop online may not be safe. You should ensure your Wi-Fi source is secure and password-protected to prevent anyone from accessing your private information. Use unique passwords.

Never use the same password for multiple websites or accounts. You should use a unique 12-character-long password or use a password manager. This makes it more difficult for scammers to gain access to your money and account information. You can also use multifactor authentication to protect your accounts further.

These are ways to shop online safely, but if you get scammed, you have options. First, complain to the seller if you are unsatisfied with the product or service. Second, if you think you have been scammed, you can report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission, State Attorney General, and the FBI. If your credit card or personal information is at risk, you should alert your credit card company of suspicious activity and possibly freeze your credit.

Additional Resources

You can freeze your credit by visiting the three major reporting agencies and following their website instructions. Each agency has its own set of instructions on freezing credit. 

• Security Freeze | Freeze or Unfreeze Your Credit | Equifax® - 1-888-298-0045 

• Freeze or Unfreeze Your Credit File for Free - Experian - 1- 888-397-3742 

• Freeze Support Center | Credit Freeze FAQs | TransUnion - 1- 888-909-8872