When the headlines are filled with incidents like cyber attack, hacking, etc., all you want as an online buyer is to protect your identity and sensitive information from the miscreants. Of course there are software available to help protect your information from the hackers, but it’s always smart to be a bit more attentive when buying products online. If you're one of those millions of customers, make sure to change your password and then move on to these top ways to keep yourself safe from identity theft.

 Use Familiar & Trusted Websites

Start with a trusted online shopping brand with the search engine. Search for the best online shopping websites and shortlist the ones you already heard about such as Amazon, Wallmart, etc. If you’re buying with a less-known brand, make sure the website is hack-proof and has all the premium Magento extensions for added security. Beware of the websites that are using the names similar to the well-known brands but under different top-level domain i.e. a .net instead of a .com. The sales on these websites may look enticing, but it’s not safe for sure.

Look For The Green Sign

Have you ever wondered why the URL bar turns green when you visit the leading and top brand websites? Well it’s because these websites are secure and have the SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer). Identifying the secure websites is quite easy as their URLs will usually start with HTTPS:// (instead of just HTTP://). You may also look for the icon of a locked padlock that appears at the bottom of the web browser. Paying through online payment methods such as PayPal, CCAvenue, etc. is always the smarter choice instead of giving your credit card over e-mail.

Avoid Shopping on Public Wi-Fi

Public or free Wi-Fi is undoubtedly something we all need. We have access to free Wi-Fi these days at almost every place such as the restaurants, airports train stations, etc. It is a great choice to browse internet, but when it comes to buying a product online, it should be strictly avoided as these networks are risky for a few reasons.

  • Others may be scanning the network.
  • It may be run by a malicious entity and named after a popular place.

It is suggested to not to make purchase online when connected to these public Wi-Fi hotspots and never ever enter payment information or anything else you wouldn’t want to share with the strangers.

Don’t Save Your Information

No matter how you pay, credit card, debit card, net banking or wallets, we recommend you never let the website to remember your personal information. It may seem a convenient choice, but it can be a bit risky. Take the time to enter your payment details every time you are buying something online. In most cases of data breaches, the victims claimed to have saved their financial information on the website when buying something. With just a few extra effort, you can actually minimize your risk of information theft.

Pay Through Payment Gateways

Online payment gateways not just make the payment processing easier, but also help protect your sensitive information secure from the miscreants. Most online shopping websites use premium Magento extensions to integrate payment gateways to receive payments through cards, wallets, net banking or other methods. Look for the websites that have option available to pay online and beware of the platforms that ask for personal details via email. Sharing your personal details via email can be a great risk as it can be misused by anyone that too very easily.