Knowledge Hub

Let’s be honest online shopping is fun and super convenient, you see something you like, you add it to cart, check out and a couple of days later it’s at your door. With our “new normal” going in store to do some holiday shopping can be daunting, although restrictions have eased, the pandemic is still a part of our reality. As you shop online for festive treats for yourself or loved ones remember to do so safely.

Here are 10 tips on how to shop safely online this holiday season:

1. Research retailers to make sure they are valid.
2. Make sure the website is secure.

• Look for a lock icon in the browser bar of a site to verify that they use SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption.
• URL for the site should start with HTTPS—instead of just HTTP.
  • Use a set of lower and uppercase numbers, letters, and symbols.
  • Never reuse passwords across sites

3. Know your rights and the company’s returns policy.
4. Keep your software and virus protection up to date.
5.  Use strong passwords for extra security online.

6. Don’t use public Wi-Fi.
7. Be careful, if an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is.
8. Never give more information than needed. No shopping site needs your ID number for you to make a purchase.
9. Pay using a credit card rather than a debit card, as the credit card does not give access to your bank account.
10. Be careful of the Apps you download to shop on. Make sure they’re from a reliable source like the Apple App Store, Google Play Store or Huawei App Gallery.

And last but not least, before you enter your card number and one-time pin, double check that everything is above board. Dial up your knowledge of online shopping with these helpful tips and enjoy the holidays with convenience – and peace of mind.