Smart online shopping

November 18, 2024 • 6 minute read

Online shopping is convenient, but it’s not risk free. Online businesses that don’t follow best security practices are more susceptible to hackers, while the rest of the internet is susceptible to fake business websites that are ready to con you into handing over your money. To reduce your risk of being scammed, follow these tips when shopping online.

Evaluate payment security

An online business may be legitimate, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s secure. Businesses may be compromised, especially if they don’t follow best practices. Before doing business online, check the following:

https: A website with a security certificate will have an “s” after “http” in the web address. This form of security is available to anyone who purchases it, so it isn’t a sign the business is legitimate, but it does mean your transaction is most likely secure.
Lock icons or other secure transaction processing: Secure websites may have lock icons on their shopping pages, or they may use other account-based companies, such as PayPal, to handle their transactions.
Google’s Safe Browsing tool: Try a website tracker such as Google’s Safe Browsing tool. It can help you determine if a legitimate business site has been compromised or if the site is a scam.

A woman leaning on the kitchen counter, looking at her phone

Avoid these red flags

Unfortunately scam websites exist. Before purchasing from a new online business or from a suspicious website, look for the following red flags:

Questionable domain name (main web address): Review for spelling variations, misspellings or other signs the site may be an imposter.
No contact information: Legitimate businesses should provide physical addresses and phone numbers in the contact section. Be wary of businesses when they don’t.
No return policies: Businesses are required to post return policies. Businesses with unclear policies, or none at all, may be suspect.
Poor design and wording: Does the website demonstrate the level of professionalism you’d expect? Sloppiness might be the sign of a scammer.
Too good to be true: Fake businesses lure you with low prices, then send low-quality merchandise or nothing at all.
Urgency: If a sale timeframe is so short or if the item availability is so limited that you don’t have time to think before buying, it might be a trick.
Negative online reviews: Add the word “scam” to your search for further information. Evaluate positive reviews for specificity. Generic or robotic-sounding reviews could be fakes.

Avoid these red flags

Unfortunately scam websites exist. Before purchasing from a new online business or from a suspicious website, look for the following red flags:

Questionable domain name (main web address): Review for spelling variations, misspellings or other signs the site may be an imposter.
No contact information: Legitimate businesses should provide physical addresses and phone numbers in the contact section. Be wary of businesses when they don’t.
No return policies: Businesses are required to post return policies. Businesses with unclear policies, or none at all, may be suspect.
Poor design and wording: Does the website demonstrate the level of professionalism you’d expect? Sloppiness might be the sign of a scammer.
Too good to be true: Fake businesses lure you with low prices, then send low-quality merchandise or nothing at all.
Urgency: If a sale timeframe is so short or if the item availability is so limited that you don’t have time to think before buying, it might be a trick.
Negative online reviews: Add the word “scam” to your search for further information. Evaluate positive reviews for specificity. Generic or robotic-sounding reviews could be fakes.

Other tips for safe online shopping

Shop with a credit card. Payments made with credit cards typically come with more protections than cash or debit card payments.
Bookmark your favorite businesses. Go directly to a business page instead of searching for a page to limit the chance of encountering a fraudulent site.
Evaluate the source. If the link was provided in an email or text, be sure to validate the sender. Not all ads that point to businesses are trustworthy either.
Review sponsored pages. Anyone can pay to put their page at the top of a search list. Scan the description carefully before clicking.
Use an ad blocker. Limiting pop-up ads will help limit encounters with scams.
Be alert for viruses or malware. Run installed virus scanners such as Microsoft Defender or one from the App Store. Be wary of third-party scanners and avoid those in pop-up ads.
Update devices regularly to maintain high security standards.
Be wary of unusual payment methods, such as cryptocurrency, gift cards or wire transfers. Do not send payments to merchants using PayPal’s friends and family option; it limits buyer protections.
Stay up-to-date on the news and know the scams to look for.

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Scams happen. What’s next?

Report business scams to the Better Business Bureau.
Report scams or fraud to the Federal Trade Commission.
File a police report. Contact your local authorities to report a crime.
Contact the FBI to report cybercrime at the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Contact your financial institution to file a payment dispute.
Update passwords on relevant accounts, including financial accounts, business shopping accounts and other payment accounts.
Contact the three credit bureaus if personal information such as your name, address, driver’s license number and Social Security number have been compromised.
Keep your paperwork for your own records and to provide if needed.

Scams happen. What’s next?

Report business scams to the Better Business Bureau.
Report scams or fraud to the Federal Trade Commission.
File a police report. Contact your local authorities to report a crime.
Contact the FBI to report cybercrime at the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Contact your financial institution to file a payment dispute.
Update passwords on relevant accounts, including financial accounts, business shopping accounts and other payment accounts.
Contact the three credit bureaus if personal information such as your name, address, driver’s license number and Social Security number have been compromised.
Keep your paperwork for your own records and to provide if needed.

Important Notifications

Smart online shopping