Technology improves our lives and interactions but it also exposes users to certain risks. When dealing with money online, the risks are insurmountable and one has to be very cautious. Every innovation comes with its own set of risks. There are so many e-commerce opportunities these days that Internet users can take advantage of, almost to the point of being overwhelming. The popularity of e-commerce is also on the increase and consumers are quickly accepting and adopting it as a valid form of contracting business.

Sometimes, however, consumers are too trusting and jump in without a second thought. At times, this blind trust can be dangerous for consumers, potentially causing compromised privacy and anonymity online. Fortunately, there are measures that you can take to ensure security when handling money online.

Navigating the Security Risks

Online shopping will always pose some sort of risk for consumers, but users must learn to work around them. The following tips help you to run your e-commerce activities online safely.

Be Cautious When Sharing Your Information

One of the common mistakes made by consumers is oversharing information. If it has not been asked for, do not share it. Sensitive information such as your social security number or your identification details should be kept off the Internet.

You may have come across online forms requesting your information. Some of these forms have fields that do not require filling, with those that are required usually denoted with an asterisk. Skip those ones and only fill the ones that have been marked ‘required’.

In addition, be careful about the devices you use in your e-commerce operations. Letting people use your device while it has a digital wallet or access your browser may put you at risk, and an unsecured or shared Wi-Fi connection can land you in lots of trouble.

Ensure All URLs You Use are Verified for Connections

Any seasoned online shopper will tell you to check all URLs for ‘https’ security. Shopping online without that verification is very risky as an unsafe connection can leave you open to a data breach.

Check the URL every step of the checkout process and ensure that it is encrypted. If it reads ‘http’ instead of ‘https’, don’t make a purchase.

In additions, use URLs to verify the legitimacy of the site you are using. If you find that the bit after ‘www’ is different from the site content, leave that site.

Question Every Site You Visit

Make sure that the site has a bonafide ‘About us’ section. Also, check out the ‘Contact Us’ section and scrutinize the contact information given. A genuine site should also have some social media pages clearly displayed on the first few pages. Legitimate contact information helps to build a business’ credibility.

Go with Credit Payments Instead of Debit Cards

Keep your payment methods and your bank information separate. Credit cards are safer to use because there of online fraud protection, offered by most credit card companies.

A debit card deducts payments straight from your bank and can be tricky to retrieve or correct afterwards. Also, debit card information gives hackers an easy time as they can use it to track and access your bank accounts.

Conclusion

Consumers must come to the realization that most of their online activities are interlinked. E-commerce on websites or connections that are not secure can have detrimental outcomes, but if users take caution and use their best judgement, online shopping can be safe and convenient.