Is online shopping really safe?

Consumer habits have changed drastically within recent years, and e-commerce has been steadily gaining ground. So, online shopping—is it yea or nay? It's quick, easy and convenient! But is it safe?

Discover the best practices to adopt to avoid being scammed by cybercriminals.

What to look out for when deciding whether a website is trustworthy?

Keep cyberattacks at bay by never letting your guard down! Online data theft isn’t just a myth; the main goal of cybercriminals is to scam you out of your money.

So, even if a website or social media site seems totally safe, always take a few precautions to protect your personal information and avoid becoming a victim of scammers.

1. HTTPS protocol

Every website address (URL) begins with the acronym HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) or HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure). The difference between the two? Security.

So, the first thing to do when you open a web page is to check whether the address in your browser’s address bar begins with HTTPS. New web browsers sometimes hide the beginning of web addresses and display a little padlock symbol instead!

These two features are even more important when it comes to transactional web pages. Never buy online from an unsecured site! If either of these security features are missing, you should leave the page.

Pro tip: Make sure your web browser is up to date by performing spot checks as the Internet is constantly evolving.

2. Spelling

Is the website riddled with spelling errors? Leave it right away! Fake websites often contain a slew of spelling and grammatical errors. The quality of the writing and the overall professionalism of the website can therefore be guarantees of trustworthiness.

Important! Look out for the address bar, too! It may also contain errors when it comes to fraudulent online stores. They attempt to imitate legitimate company websites by using terms very similar to well-known corporate giants.

3. Prices

Is the price of the item too good to be true? Beware of prices far below the usual market value and poorly designed websites! It’s probably because it’s a scam and a fake e-commerce website… Cybercriminals use the low-price technique to capture your attention and get their hands on your personal information.

Important! Goods or services may be sold in a foreign currency. If your online purchase is not in Canadian dollars, be sure to convert it to find out the actual selling price. Watch out for hidden costs!

4. Policies and legal notices

Legal notices, the fine print that most people don’t read on paper, let alone online… When it comes to security, a website’s privacy policies are paramount, especially when you share your personal information to complete a transaction.

Good to know: These notices are mandatory for all e-commerce websites. They are usually displayed at the bottom of the homepage. You should always be able to find the company’s contact details (telephone number and email or mailing address) on its website.

Are the legal notices missing or ambiguous? Don’t buy anything and leave the site!

What is a website’s return and refund policy?

All secure websites also have terms of sale or product use and a returns and refunds policy. It’s best to know what to do if an item is defective or broken at delivery!

How do you exchange it or get your money back? Do you have to ship the item at your own expense? Do you have to go to the store in person? Don’t ignore these unanswered questions before you shop online!

Important! Find out a product’s or service’s shipping costs and customs duties, if any, before completing your purchase.

Any trustworthy website will provide details (and a quote if the exact amount is not available) on the costs you will incur. You should therefore know the amount of the fees due, the shipping costs (if applicable), the currency in which payment will be made and any other charges.

If this information is missing, incomplete or unclear, do not proceed with the transaction!

Online shopping: pitfalls to avoid

Everything checks out? It’s time to shop! The process is quite similar on all transactional websites:

• Select items
• Add items to shopping cart
• Confirm order
• Pay for items

Note that some companies also require you to create an account.

The only information credible online retailers require is:

• Your name
• Your mailing address
• Information on the credit card used (number, expiry date and cryptogram comprising the three digits on the back of the card).

Important! No merchant can ask you for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) or your driver’s licence number!

Before you proceed, make sure you answer “No” to all of these statements:

• The asking price for an item is higher than the advertised price
• Your credit card information is requested, on the website, by email or via a pop-up window, without having confirmed your purchase
• Payment by credit card is not accepted
• The only payment method is cash or e-transfer

In any event, vigilance is key! At the slightest doubt, it’s best not to continue and to leave the site.

What to do after shopping online

Even after completing the transaction, caution is still necessary! Get into the habit of checking your bank statements regularly to ensure that all your transactions are in order.

You should also always receive a copy of your invoice by email. However, transactions may take a few days to appear on your credit card statements. Once the transaction has been processed, make sure you recognize the company name, amount billed, currency and any other information on the statement.

What to do if you have been scammed?

Are you a victim of an online scam? It can be difficult to recognize cyber threats before it’s too late… Cybercriminals try to stick as close to reality as possible to trick internet users!

If you are a victim of online fraud, here are the steps you can take to report the incident and mitigate its effects:

• Report the incident to your financial institution and your credit card company (if different)
• Reset credentials for all your accounts, such as your email or social media accounts
• Report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or call 1-888-495-8501.

Enjoy the benefits of online shopping, but be sure to take a few precautions to browse the web safe from frauds and scams!