This year, Australians are predicted to spend over $58 billion on pre-Christmas shopping – an increase of around 11% on 2019 pre-pandemic spending, according to the Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan.
Although online shopping is convenient and the preferred way to shop for many Australians, it comes with a risk.
Cybercriminals often target online shoppers in a bid to steal their money or personal details. They do this through a variety of methods including:
- Selling products that don’t exist
- Asking for personal and payment information
- Installing malicious software (“malware”) on your device
Why do you need to be secure when online shopping?
Once a cybercriminal has your financial details or receives your money, you are unlikely to get it back. Not only will you be disappointed when your goods don’t arrive, you will also have lost the money you used to buy the pretend items.
What can you do?
The best way to stay secure while shopping online is to know how to look for suspicious websites and boost your protective security measures.
As the ACSC provides an Online Shopping Checklist worth checking, with easy-to-follow advice on how to make sure your online shopping experience is secure on smartphones, computers, and laptops, a couple of key takeaways to consider before purchasing that lovely Beach towel, Playstation, or 25-year-old bottle of whiskey;
- Beware of fake sellers- To verify a site you’re looking at, do a browser search for other web pages or profiles by that seller. Compare logos, business names, URL addresses, and contact details. If they don’t match up, steer clear!
- When shopping on a Facebook page, look for the blue tick next to the page’s profile name. This indicates the page has been verified by Facebook.
- Cardinal Rules:
- Don’t click on a link received via SMS to pay and never provide payment details over SMS.
- Avoid doing any financial transactions when connected to public Wi-Fi-as tempting as it is
- Phishing is a common cause of scams, so be on the alert for suspicious emails or texts.
Always use strong and unique passwords, watch out for phishing emails or texts, and be aware of what you share online to keep your personal information safe.
- Some tech gifts may reveal your child’s personal details and location to outsiders and allow other people to contact your child online, without you knowing.
Be warned, cybercriminals don’t take holidays! They rely on you being busy and letting your guard down when purchasing online. Cybercriminals often set up legitimate-looking websites or social media stores to trick you into handing over your money or personal details.
We wouldn’t be Insurance Brokers without mentioning Personal Cyber Insurance that provides certain protections in cases where you may be duped by a Cyber scammer or please contact us to learn more.
That’s it, Enjoy your Shopping Experience safely and take care!
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Source- AusCyber Security Centre
