Remember when shopping meant physically going into a store to buy something?
Online shopping – especially post-pandemic – has become the new normal. The latest figures from Statista show that a whopping 80% of the UK population makes E-commerce purchases.
‘Add to basket' feels quick and convenient, but there's a dark side to online shopping… Cyber-criminals are getting smarter, and even the savviest online shoppers are walking straight into their sneaky cyber-traps. Also reported by Statista, in 2022 – between January and June alone – three in ten e-commerce transactions worldwide resulted in online shopping scams.
To avoid being another statistic, read this blog for the lowdown on the most common cyber-traps to look out for when shopping online.
8 common online shopping cyber-scams to be aware of
1. Don't get caught up in anything ‘phishy'
Imagine getting an email from your favourite online shop offering you an incredible discount. Get in! But to claim it, you need to provide your card details… Don't fall for it! Phishers are known for impersonating big brands, so always double-check the sender's email, and never share sensitive information.
2. Look out for fake websites
Scammers often clone popular retail sites to lure their victims in with attractive deals. Before they know it, shoppers have disclosed personal information and paid for ‘items' they'll never see. Cyber-criminal 1 – Shopper 0.
Always double check you're on a secure, authentic page by making sure the web address starts with "https://" and shows a padlock icon in your browser.
It's easy to overshare on social media – but after reading this – you might think before you type. Cyber-criminals are experts in gathering information about your interests, habits, and recent buys on popular social platforms. They then use this information to target you with personalised phishing attempts or scams.
Beef up your privacy settings, and don't disclose too much – you never know who's lurking.
4. Say no to weak passwords
Don't get lazy by using the same, easy password for everything – it's a cyber-accident waiting to happen and a massive risk to your online account information.
Hackers use tools that can crack simple passwords in seconds, so make sure you create a strong, unique one for each online shop you have an account with. Using a password manager will also help to keep track of your credentials securely, all in one place.
5. Keep track of your bank statements
If cyber-criminals have managed to get hold of your financial information without you realising, they might start to make small, inconspicuous charges to test its validity before going on a spending spree.
Check your statements regularly, and report any suspicious activity to avoid catastrophic financial losses.
6. Never trust public Wi-Fi
Shopping online using public Wi-Fi is like leaving the door open for a burglar. When you connect to an unsecured network, your sensitive information is exposed, and hackers can access your information, or install malware without you even knowing.
To keep your private information private – always virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your connection.
7. Skip saving your card details
When visiting the same sites again and again, saving your details makes sense, right? Wrong.
But think about it. If that retailer is targeted by cyber-criminals and falls victim to a data breach, who gets access to your financial information? You guessed it! This exposes you to identity theft, and cyber-crooks helping themselves to your hard-earned cash.
Don't fancy re-entering your card details every time? Ditch your cards for secure payment methods like Paypal or Apple Pay.
8. Don't be tempted by ads or pop-ups
When sale-searching, it's easy to get distracted by these digital landmines. If that 95% off discount doesn't ring alarm bells, I'm glad you're here.
Cyber-attackers create fake ads and pop-ups to capture your attention – and your personal information. By clicking through to redeem your ‘discount', you could end up on a phishing site or downloading malware.
Want to know if the deal's legit? Simply visit a trusted price comparison site to see if it shows up – it likely won't.
Feel confident shopping online
And that's a wrap. Now that you're aware of the most common cyber-traps used to dupe online shoppers, it might just keep you cyber-safe.
If you're a business owner worried that your current information security policies won't protect you against data breeches or cyberattacks – you might want to consider implementing ISO 27001.
Stay away from the dark side!
Author
Stuart Barker | Stuart is a cyber security expert known as the ISO 27001 Ninja, and author of the best-selling ISO 27001 Toolkit. He is Director at High Table, the ISO 27001 Company: https://hightable.io