If you are looking for information about shopping online Ashford Kent, Canterbury, Maidstone and the surrounding communities of Kennington, Willesborough, Kingsnorth, Brabourne, Sellindge, Charing, Pluckley, Ham Street, Aldington, Mersham, Wye, Hothfield, Goddington, Little Chart, Brook, Egerton, Challock, Shadoxhurst and Hythe consider Flag Computer Repair, your best choice. Affordable Computer Repair Service. Local, mobile service. Industry certified. Free Collection and Return
Stay Safe Shopping Online This Holiday Season
Retail research tells us that over 75% of people are shopping online each month, and, with the holiday season upon us, you’re likely to be one of them. But don’t let the appeal of convenience distract you from the need to stay safe when shopping online.
The number of digital buyers is steadily climbing. In 2020, according to Statista, more than two billion people purchased goods or services online. During the same year, e-retail sales surpassed $4.2 trillion U.S. dollars worldwide.
Retailers are embracing the change in consumer behaviour. But, do you know who else is taking advantage? Cybercrooks. Before you buy, consider these strategies to stay safe.
#1 Question that great deal
If a deal looks “too good to be true,” it probably is. You’re not going to get a new Apple laptop for £29.99, or the latest Beats headphones or Xbox gaming console for under £20. Anyone offering you that price is trying to lure you to their site to enter your payment details, so don’t be surprised when your product never arrives!
#2 Review seller feedback
While scrolling social media you see adverts for perfect gifts for someone on your list. And it’s so easy to click the link and buy! Still, before purchasing, take the time to research the seller.
Read the feedback from other buyers on independent sources. It adds only a few moments to check sites such as Trustpilot and Google My Business.
#3 Research the business domain
Think about it: who are you more likely to trust with your sensitive data? Someone who has been in business 10 years or someone who set up shop 10 days ago? Quickly check how long a business website has been around. Enter the URL into the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ lookup tool [https://lookup.icann.org].
#4 Watch out for email scams
Before clicking on any offer links in emails, check the URL. You can hover over the link before actually redirecting there and check the target. Double-check that the address is to the site you’re expecting.
Also, slow down and be sure that the address doesn’t have any typos or atypical endings. You don’t want to confuse www.nike.com with www.n1ke.co and end up a victim of identity theft instead of the proud owner of the latest Air Max.
#5 Check payment site security
There are several ways to verify the security of a payment site. These include:
- verifying that the site uses an SSL certificate – it will start with “https” instead of “http”;
- checking for a physical address and phone number – call the contact number to confirm it is not fake;
- reviewing the Terms and Conditions and Return and Privacy policies – any reputable brand has these!
#6 Pay with Online Payments
When you do decide to buy, prefer to pay using PayPal or another online payment tool. You won’t be giving the seller your credit card details. If you can’t take this approach, use a credit card from a credit account rather than debit. You will have more protection this way. You can start a chargeback through your credit card company when the item isn’t as advertised and the seller’s customer service doesn’t help.
Before online shopping, at any time of the year, update your operating system, and keep your anti-virus software current, too.
IT experts are here to help you keep your technology safe and secure year-round. Contact us today at 07976 151148
I send out Free computer tips and tricks updates twice a month, this is an example. Subscribe via This Link I’ll give you a guide to the ‘Top Ten Tips for Staying Safe Online’ + “Is Your Tech Dragging You Down.”
The best way to recover from a compromise, malware or system failure is to have a backup.
Did you know that if you use an SSD drive, most new computers have one installed by default, when you click delete your data is gone forever, immediately!
I can provide a backup service to protect you from losing your photos and documents It will also help to protect you from Ransomware. You will be getting;
- An Industry leading brand
- I will manage and monitor to ensure you are protected.
- I will provide, install and support the backup software
- Free back recovery
- Fully encrypted to protect your data
- An external drive is included (if required)
If you get the backup service as part of my Total Protection Plan, I also offer FREE virus recovery.
Does your current provider offer that? Have you even got a backup? Contact me for more information
I can help with:
Computer Repair
PC Repair
PC Tune-up
Virus Removal and Repair
Network Repair
Computer Monitoring Service
Data Recovery
Data Backup
