Paying online, making purchases on all kinds of online services and platforms, is very common today. We can buy simply by accessing from our mobile or computer. Now, we must bear in mind the importance of always keeping security in mind. There are many attacks that we can suffer and that could put our systems at risk and even steal personal and payment information. For this reason, in this article we want to review when a site can be unsafe to make a purchase or payment . We will also give advice to buy safely on the net.
E-commerce is very important today
Undoubtedly, in recent years we have experienced a very important change in the way we make purchases. There are many platforms that we have at our disposal to buy practically everything without having to move from home or even pay from anywhere and at any time.
Electronic commerce is going through times of enormous expansion. Physical stores of all kinds have now had to adapt and offer home delivery as well. This, of course, has led to a series of logistical difficulties that have had to be overcome. One of them is security and reducing the risk of having problems when making payments or buying any product.
The fact that it is something so widely used in the daily lives of users also makes hackers set their sights here. They can carry out a wide variety of attacks and we must be alert at all times and know how to make purchases safely.
When is an unsafe place to buy or pay
First of all we are going to talk about when a website or Internet service can be unsafe to make a purchase. What signs could tell us that the place we are visiting is a scam or that in some way our data may be in danger. This way we will know when we should not make a payment.
We have entered from an unverified link
Without a doubt something fundamental is to know how we have arrived at a web page . It is common that when using email we see messages that indicate that there is a very good offer for a product or a web page that supposedly has very cheap prices. This could also reach us through social networks and messaging such as WhatsApp.
The problem is that these links that we receive can be a hook. They could take us to a web page created simply with the aim of stealing information or compromising in some way the security of our equipment. We must always make sure where we have received that link and see that it really is safe.
We do not see information or contact
We must also take a good look at the information on that site where we are trying to buy. Do we see the contact information well placed? Can we consult the information on that site, the type of company, the type of products it sells …? A page that is serious should have all this in view of the users.
If we find a website where we are going to make a purchase and we do not see the information anywhere, we could be facing a scam. It could be a page created simply with the aim of robbing users.
The page is not encrypted
Of course another point to keep in mind is that the page is encrypted. This is very easy to see. Simply by accessing the site we can analyze the URL and see if it is HTTP or HTTPS . This last option would indicate that it is encrypted.
You must avoid at all times making a payment or sending any type of personal data through websites that are not encrypted. Our information could be compromised and this is something we must be careful about at all times.
The appearance of the site is suspicious
This is a matter of common sense and it should always be present. Before making any purchase or payment you have to observe well. If we see that the website looks suspicious, does not inspire confidence, we should avoid paying or buying any item.
What do we mean by this? Mainly to the general appearance that the site shows. The way it is structured, possible spelling errors, being loaded with advertising, links to third-party sites … All this could help us identify a page that is not reliable.
Use unsafe or unusual payment methods
The payment methods that a web page allows may indicate that it is insecure. Normally this type of service uses methods with which we could not recover the money in case of problem. For example, methods that are safe, we could talk about PayPal or bank card. We could always report fraud and we could get the money back.
Not much information on Google
What if we suspect a website and search Google? If a page is reliable, it is normal that it has reviews on the Internet, that there is information in forums and, ultimately, we have data that can tell us whether or not it is reliable.
If when searching in Google we see that there is not much information, we could be facing a website that has just been created and is actually a scam. We should run away from those kinds of pages.
How to pay safely
We have seen when a website could be unsafe and we should not pay. Now we are going to give some tips on how to shop safely. In this way we will be more protected on the network and avoid unnecessary risks.
Have the equipment protected
A first question that must be fundamental is to keep the equipment properly protected. Here we must mention the importance of having a good antivirus and other programs that help protect us when browsing the Internet.
Making a payment at any site with our infected computer could put security and privacy at risk. It could involve the theft of passwords and personal data by keyloggers and other varieties of malicious software.
Keep systems up to date
It is also essential to make purchases through properly updated equipment. There are many vulnerabilities that can put our computers at risk. Many bugs that must be corrected as soon as possible and thus prevent possible intruders from gaining access.
Use reloadable cards
An important tip to pay without putting our bank accounts at risk is to use rechargeable cards . In this way we simply recharge with the amount that we are going to need for that payment and thus, in case of some kind of problem, only that amount would be exposed.
Today on the Internet we can find many types of rechargeable cards. They are very useful for day to day and, as we say, help to improve security on the network when we go to pay.
Always pay on secure networks
We must also take into account the networks from which we are going to make the payment. Avoid a public Wi-Fi network, such as in a shopping center or airport. We do not really know who may be behind it and if it was created in order to steal information.
Whenever we make a payment, we must make sure that we are on a reliable network. In case we have no choice, we should use a VPN service that encrypts the connection and minimizes risk.
Keep common sense
Of course, common sense must be present. Avoid risks, avoid falling into traps such as opening fraudulent links, it is essential to avoid problems when paying online. There are many types of attacks and scams that exist on the network, but most require user interaction.
Therefore, these are some essential tips that we can take into account to pay safely on the Internet. In this way we will avoid unnecessary risks and that our data may be compromised.