With many South Africans spending more time from home following lengthy lockdowns last year, retailers have seen a dramatic increase in online shopping. From groceries to clothing to more pricey gadgets and appliances, South Africans have been spending much less time inside physical stores. While online shopping comes with a number of benefits โ most notably convenience โ it also brings with it a greater risk of being duped. We spoke to the teams at Afrihost and the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) on ways you can better protect yourself against dodgy online retailers.
BONUS TIP!ย The Facebook Marketplace has become a firm favourite among many shopaholics. You can find more safety tipsย specific to Facebook here.
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DO YOUR HOMEWORK
If it isnโt a website youโve used before, be more cautious. Check online for reviews and user feedback before parting with your money. If you find any alarming reports from clients, steer clear of the site.
SAFE PAYMENT
Avoid paying via Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) since you cannot lodge a dispute or reverse the transaction should something go wrong. EFT payments are also less secure than your standard debit and credit card options. If an e-commerce site doesnโt offer any standard payment options aside from EFT, be careful.
DOUBLE-CHECK THE DETAILS
Many scammers often give unsuspecting buyers a fake address, name, and contact info. Do an independent check to determine everything is legit before committing to a sale. If it means having to drive out to the address theyโve provided, do it. If itโs too far, you can also check it out on Google maps, or ask a friend who lives nearby to go have a look on your behalf. Donโt simply take everything being said and promised at face value. Itโs is also wise to do a reverse image search on Google to check if the items for sale, and the sellers, are what and who they say they are.
THAT OLD ADAGE
If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Weโve heard this warning countless times, but when money is tight a shiny offer on an otherwise expensive item could be very tempting. However, in many instances the item simply doesnโt exist and you end up saving no money at all.
ASK AWAY
When speaking to a seller directly, donโt be shy to ask as many questions as possible. Find out why theyโre selling the item, whether they have all the necessary papers, whether thereโs any damage and any other questions that might come to mind. The more informed you are, the better.
LOOK FOR THE LOCK
Check whether thereโs a little padlock next to the web address. This means the site is secure and has the relevant security certificates to ensure your personal information is encrypted and safe.
S IS FOR SECURE
Whenever you make a payment online, ensure the web address starts with โhttpsโ and not just โhttpโ. The extra โsโ indicates that any sensitive information (such as your credit card number or CSV code) will be scrambled once you submit it.
SHOP WHERE ITโS SAFE
Itโs always better to shop online using your own internet connection. If you can, avoid using public Wi-Fi hotspots since thereโs a better chance of fraudstersย intercepting your personal information, usernames and passwords over a less-secure connection.
CAREFUL WHAT YOU CLICK
Always go to the preferred online store directly instead of clicking on a link within an email or SMS. Itโs also a good idea to bookmark the reliable sites youโve used so you can easily access them the next time you want to shop.
PASSWORD POWER
Ensure you use strong passwords and change them every couple of months.ย If you struggle to remember your passwords, you can make use of a password manager.
BE ALERT
Check your bank statements on a regular basisย to ensure no unauthorised transactions and/or charges are being processed on your account. Inform your bank of any suspicious transactions immediately and change all your passwords as well.
ANTIVIRUS IS YOUR FRIEND
There are several reliable and free antivirus options available and they can help protect you against any nasty viruses or spyware. Ensure you scan your computer regularly (at least once a month) for any threats and ensure your antivirus is updated.
TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION
Whenever you log in to an online store, see if thereโs an option to activate two-factor authentication. Once this is enabled, you will be asked to input a second pin thatโs usually sent to you via SMS or email before you can log in or perform any transactions.
TALK TO YOUR KIDS
While they may not have a credit card, they can still make purchases on their mobile phones or tablets. Teach your children about in-app purchases and tell them to ask you before they click on any links. Also remind them to never give out any personal information online.
GET THE APP
When using apps to make purchases, make sureย youย download the app directly through the official retailer. If youโre not sure whether the app youโve downloaded is the legitimate version, you can always contact the retailer for assistance.
PAPER TRAIL
Keep all your invoices, purchase confirmations and shipping and tracking numbersย in a safe place.ย Should things go wrong, at least you would have the documents to prove youโve made a purchase.
Sources: Afrihost | ISPA | McAfee SA | Facebook Marketplace