5 tips on how to shop online safely and successfully

Online shopping is our only option now that physical departments are closed in most parts of the world due to coronavirus restrictions. We are all familiar with the process, and most of us have become experts on how to compare prices and where to check the latest trends. Simultaneously, safety on the internet is highly doubted over the last years, with numerous scams taking place again and again. Below, we throw some suggestions on what to look after when you shop online and how to protect your accounts.

• Be aware of the fees
  Contrary to physical shopping, when you purchase goods from the net, each site has different policies. Most of the time, the amount of money that is charged as extra is ridiculous. Still, you deserve to be aware of what you are being asked to pay. The most common fee that will be charged to you to add to the original price is the shipping cost. Especially now that you have the ability to shop from anywhere on the planet, it is rational that you will have to cover the cost of the transfer. Shopping internationally also means that you shop in different currencies. Watch out to make the conversion between the currency they sell and the currency you use in your country. There are credit card surcharges in rare cases, so if you are overcharged when using your credit card, contact the retailer or your bank to sort things out.
• How to pay
  In a digital era, a lot can happen when you enter personal data on a computer screen. To start with, we would suggest you rather pay with your credit card instead of PayPal. PayPal is very popular, and it has lately allowed users to pay using cryptocurrencies. However, it is still considered an alternative only if you can’t pay with your credit card for some reason. Once you are about to use your credit card, make sure the link you are connected to starts with https:// and it is a guaranteed safe network. In case you need to create an account, it is essential to use a code that is complex and really difficult to break. Birthdays or your name are not an option. Additionally, you should avoid using the same code for many accounts. In that case, if someone breaks one account, it will be a piece of cake to go ahead and abuse all your personal data.

  

• Disregard suspicious messages
  In Covid-19, hackers are having a party. It started with emails where hackers had copied the messages of particular banks and were sending emails to the consumers, telling them that their privacy had been violated and they had to provide new codes. The trick, led many clients to lose a crucial amount of money, so it is now turning into a trend. These messages are sent in SMS, and they imitate the original sites in a fabulous way. A typical message nowadays is the Covid-19 health warning that is likely to be a fishy message, as soon as you notice any weird activity in your account after completing a purchase, contact the retailer directly and do not answer for any reason any of these emails or messages.

  

• Protect your physical health
  Let’s not forget that stores are closed for a reason. We may not be willing to give up the pleasure of buying, but this doesn’t mean that we don’t have to take measures fr our online shopping. When you place an order, it is probably expected that you can leave a comment to the retailer regarding your purchase. You can ask the delivery person to leave the package outside your door and ring the bell only to inform you that the delivery has been made. In case you have to sign or pay anything, you can quickly deal with the delivery guy and wash your hands immediately. Afterward, use gloves to open the parcel and take the item out of the packaging. Throw the gloves and the packaging directly into the bin without letting microbes to come inside the house. The World Health Organization, however, still states that infection from packages is very low.