Joanna James
Online shopping is no longer a trending phenomenon, it's well established and quite a convenience in today's busy lifestyles. But as everyone knows there are dangers and in order to shop and be 'cyber-safe', you need to follow a few rules as listed below.
Online shopping is not the time to go exploring unknown sites, remember you will be giving out your credit card or debit card details and you need to be sure your privacy is safeguarded. Hence, stick to the known sites, even Sri Lanka has embraced online shopping with the likes of Clicknshop, trending and amongst fans of online retail therapy. So, keep it safe and shop safely at verified sites, since online shopping in Sri Lanka is now very diverse you have plenty of choices.
An indication of whether a site is secure or not is seen by the little padlock symbol you often get at the start of the URL. This is known as the 'secure sockets layer' which means your credit details are safe, to double check the credibility of the site, look at the URL if it starts with HTTPS: it's secure, just HTTP means it's not.
So, you purchase something and type in your address and credit card details along with your contact number. That's about all the information the store needs to verify and ship your purchase; anything else is unnecessary information, most sites ask for date of birth, spouse details, number of children etc. as information for data banks, and it's really your choice to give out the information or not. Things like bank account numbers and other details should not be divulged at all. Keep your purchase private, you don't have to reveal too much about yourself; which in the hands of hackers can create loads of trouble.
Using your credit card to pay for online purchases is the best, even if a fraudulent payment occurs you can have it reversed if you have good credit ratings with your bank. But in order to catch such transactions, you need to keep tabs of your bills. Since a physical bill will take time to come, opt for online bills, or check your expenses online. Keep a tab of every payment you make, in order to double check it against payments reflected in your cards payments. This way you will be able to catch any discrepancies before it's too late.
If you are into online purchases in a big way, make sure you have a proper security guard for your PC. Valuable credit card information stored there could be weeded out by trolls, and the last thing you need is spyware installed on your computer. So, go ahead and update your PC protection to the latest on offer. Remember to shop safe and stay smart!
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a pas...
