Identity Theft
Here’s How You Fraud-Proof Yourself When Shopping Online
Reported by iprice.my
By Jeremy Chew, Senior Content Marketing Executive at iPrice Group
Here’s How You Fraud-Proof Yourself When Shopping Online
The Internet has become an extension of our lives – from interacting with our peers on social media, obtaining an education to even seeking out romantic partners, we are for the most part, comfortable with performing our societal rituals on an online medium.
There is however, one aspect of life that doesn’t translate as well – & that is giving up our hard-earned money to someone on the other side of the world through a screen. So why exactly are some of us still apprehensive about the big bad world of online transactions?
A survey by Kaspersky & B2B international on consumer security risks revealed that 49% of participants worldwide still encountered feelings of vulnerability regarding online transactions with 37% having admitted to terminating a financial operation midway due to lack of faith in the security of the transaction. However, 42% expressed that they were more likely to utilize online payment solutions if they felt they were protected from cybersecurity threats. Overall, the largest cause of fear is financial fraud, with 62% of participants listing it down as their major concern.
Image credit: iPrice
With the rapid rise of e-commerce, payments via online channels such as credit card & bank transfer are becoming a more popular payment method. But is it really secure? Good news is, while online frauds & threats are still out there, there are steps online retailers & consumers can take to ensure we protect ourselves from any financial harm.
Key Steps Online Retailers & Consumers (aka. you, the user) Must Take to Protect Ourselves
How do we know when we’re shopping on secure or insecure sites? That’s easy, look out for the URL link of the website where you’re shopping. The web address of secure sites begins with “https://”. Note that sites with the letter “s” in the http address is considered a secure site. Another easy way to know if you’re browsing securely is through features on web browsers like Google Chrome which displays the word “not secure” before the web address.
Electronic receipts, email confirmations & proof of payment documents can help keep track of payment history. They also stand as key pieces of evidence should there be any disputes between you & the vendor.
Firewalls & updated antivirus software can protect your personal information from hackers & can prevent identity thieves from nicking your personal information.
Stay away from free Wi-Fi for private activities such as online shopping, banking or financial transactions. People can potentially access your data through public Wi-Fi internet connections.
On the other side of the coin, online merchants have an important role to play in ensuring that your personal & financial information is protected from fraudsters.
In a recent study on the State of eCommerce in Southeast Asia, it was noted that Credit Card is the most popular payment method provided by most online retailers in Malaysia & across Southeast Asia.
While Credit Card providers are working day & night to provide the best security features to you, there are steps we can make as well to ensure that we’re well protected.
Set up an SMS alert every time a transaction is made on your credit card. You can choose & preset a threshold amount for the alerts too.
Set up a One-time Password (OTP) to be sent to the registered mobile phone for online transactions. This provides an additional layer of authentication during the transaction.
Set a transaction limit with your bank so that anything above the set amount will not go through.
Always check your credit card statement to look out for any suspicious or unknown transactions made. When in doubt, do give your Credit Card provider a call for clarification.
Most importantly, remember that you, the consumer is responsible to keep yourself from any financial fraud. Just be sure to maintain a healthy habit utilizing the tips mentioned & you’ll be secure whenever you make any purchases online.
