Before you check out
A little awareness now can save a whole lot of heartache down the track. Read our article so you can answer each of these eight questions for a safer, more confident online shopping experience.
Online shopping has become a big part of our lives. It's quick and easy and we can buy just about anything we want without having to leave our house.
But this convenience comes with its own risks. Every day, people are scammed by fake online stores designed to steal your personal information or money.
So, how do we shop online safely and avoid being scammed? How can we tell if a website is a scam or if it's a real, trustworthy online store?
First, it is important to understand some common types of online scams. There are many types, but the most common ones are:
Taking a closer look at the website's URL is one of the first steps to ensuring safe online shopping. Check if the site uses SSL (secure socket layer) security, which protects your data. If it does have SSL, you will spot a small padlock symbol in your browser's address bar or if the website’s URL begins with "https://" instead of just "http://" (look out for the extra s!).
Fake sites often have misspellings, extra characters or use a different domain (like .net instead of .com). A legitimate business will create a professional and easy-to-navigate website. Watch out for poorly designed pages with spelling mistakes or low-quality images as these can all be red flags signalling a potential scam.
Other people's experiences provide valuable insight into the credibility of an online store. Before purchasing, take the time to read about the experiences of others who have already bought from that site. Product reviews can give you a good idea about the quality of the items and the reliability of the seller.
Keep an eye out for consistent customer complaints such as long delivery times, poor-quality items or bad customer service. But also be wary of only positive reviews as they could be fake. If a site doesn't have any reviews, or only has negative ones, think twice before purchasing.
Everyone loves a bargain. Shopping online often has bigger and better deals than we can find in-store.
But it is important to be cautious around deals that seem unrealistically good. Discounts or offers that seem too good to be true might be just that - not true!
Websites set up as scams often lure in customers with significantly lower prices than other vendors for popular or high-end products. This is a tactic to convince you to spend your money quickly. If you come across a site selling items for much lower prices than everyone else, do some extra research on the company before making any purchases. Trust your instincts – if a deal feels suspicious, it's probably safer to skip it and shop elsewhere.
The key to online privacy also lies in limiting how much personal information you enter when you sign up to newsletters or websites. If you're asked for your personal details but the field isn’t marked as mandatory, we suggest leaving it blank.
For example, if you place an online order, not every company makes it mandatory to enter your mobile phone number, but they might still ask for it so they can send you delivery updates via SMS. Unless you really need SMS updates, it's better not to offer up your number.
Avoid entering your details where they’re not required because personal information that you didn’t supply can’t be stolen.
When shopping online, it's essential to check that the store offers secure payment options. A genuine and trustworthy business usually provides several safe methods to pay, such as credit cards, PayPal or secure online payment systems like Google or Apple Pay. These payment methods have safeguards in place that can help you recover your money if something goes wrong with the purchase.
If a site insists on direct payment methods like a bank transfer or PayID - be careful. Direct bank transfers are often irreversible and are could be ineligible for reimbursement from your bank. This could leave you without any way to get your money back if the goods you purchased never arrived or were not as advertised.
Things can go wrong, so it's important to plan for it.
Many major financial institutions offer to reimburse fraudulent credit card transactions, but not all banks are the same. Speak to your financial provider to understand if and how you are covered. Plan ahead by checking your terms and conditions today to ensure you are covered if fraud occurs down the track.
But in general terms, banks may reimburse fraudulent purchases made against credit cards provided the fraud is reported within a certain period, often within 30 to 60 days. Speed is key.
As mentioned earlier, direct payment transfers, such as sending money via BSB and account numbers or PayID, are not necessarily protected and are often outright ineligible for reimbursement.
Below are some examples of banks which offer reimbursement for fraud. But the onus is on your to do your own research so always contact your bank directly if you're in doubt.
The website ‘Finder’ has a good article on online fraud and purchase protection you may find helpful. Again, check with your financial provider about their fraud reimbursement provisions and exclusions before making decisions.
Other payment providers such as PayPal reimburse fraudulent payments similar to banks, but check with your financial providers to ensure you are covered.
Knowing your bank’s terms and conditions, checking your statements often and acting fast are the best ways to minimise the risk and fallout of fraudulent online purchases. Reducing the number of places that store your personal information helps reduce the risk of it being stolen or exposed.
Victims of identity theft and other forms of hacking can find themselves in a difficult place. Reporting your loss is important for government crime prevention, as is reporting it to local police, so please ensure you report your experience.
If your identity is stolen or you experience other forms of cybercrime, be sure to visit IDCare, a respected government service which specialises in assisting victims of identity theft and cyber attacks.
No matter what your skill level is right now, we can help you build your digital skills through our Learning Digital program or through skill building sessions so you can thrive in the digital world.
