One of the restrictions we’ve had to endure in the past few months is staying at home and only heading to the shops for essential items. As a result, many people have turned to shopping online, including older Australians who were once hesitant to do so.
With more online activity, it’s important to remember that there can be risks involved.
Two of which are credit card fraud and identity theft.
Top 5 tips for staying safe online:
- Make sure your antivirus software is installed and up to date.
- Remember, a secure website will always have the padlock symbol and the URL will always start with https (not just http).
- Only shop with well known brands. If you do need to buy from a site less known, always look for customer reviews.
- If the price or deal seems too good to be true, it probably is! Always read the fine print to ensure it’s legitimate.
- Always use a credit card or PayPal, not a debit card, and never pay using a link sent to you via SMS. Pay Pal offers Buyer Protection on goods and services. This will give you peace of mind that if something goes wrong a refund is still possible.
If you do find yourself the victim of a scam, contact your bank or report it to the relevant government authority.
For more information, head to www.staysmartonline.gov.au