TIPS FOR SIMPLE & SAFE ONLINE SHOPPING DURING COVID-19

Courtesy of Wikipedia

12 November 2020.

Written by Heinrich Sauls.

Wow, can you believe how time flies.

It's been a roller coaster ride this year, 2020, that is fast approaching its end, with little more than a month left until the month of December.

We are living in the 'new normal' as the saying goes, but I am feeling very optimistic when it comes to online shopping here in South Africa, that is fairly new from my point of view.

I' m not very keen on going to the malls doing my monthly shopping, especially during Christmas, but this COVID - 19 pandemic has certainly changed things upside down for a lot of us as citizens.

Instead of me visiting my local mall to pick up a few things, online shopping had certainly changed me a lot.

These days I do my shopping from the comfort of my bedroom, as I stay safe, which I did not do beforehand, and at the same time also taking precaution to not infect myself or my loved ones.

How to do your online shopping safely during COVID - 19.

#TIP 1. Tune your shopping machine.

Like the tune-up your car gets before taking it for a long trip outside of town, your device, be it a smartphone, tablet or laptop may need attention before going online for some power shopping.

Give it some love, and improved protection, by updating your browser, operating system, and anti-malware suite.

#TIP 2. Stick with familiar faces.

Buy from websites that have established a reputation for doing what they say, providing accurate descriptions of merchandise, and delivering it in good shape and on time.

#TIP 3. Be wary of amazing deals

If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is, particularly if it's an amazing offer on one of the hottest products of the season.

Such deals can be very tempting, but it really is safer to avoid following links that offer goods, services, or gift cards at impossibly cheap prices, they are just too risky.

Google the offer to see what others are saying.

#TIP 4. Insist on secure transactions

When you are in the ordering process on a website, check to make sure it is using SSL, the standard in secure transactions that show up in several ways.

You should be able to see 'https' in front of the web address instead of 'http'.

There may also be a lock or key symbol in the browser window as well.

Using SSL encrypts the exchange of information, such as your credit card, so eavesdroppers cannot read it.

#TIP 5. Think before you act.

Watch out for 'Urgent' deals that arrive in unsolicited emails or purport to be from friends on social networking sites.

Exercise extra caution if the message uses broken English or if it doesn't seem quite right for some reason.

If you think the deal is real, open a browser and type the name of the website directly into the address bar, instead of clicking on the email link.

#TIP 6. Don't shop at leaky hotspots.

If you need to do any shopping over Wi-Fi, at home or at a hotspot, make sure it is secure (look for the lock symbol in the Wi-Fi connection dialog).

The last thing you want is someone snatching your personal and financial details out of thin air as you transmit them from your tablet, smartphone or laptop.

#TIP 7. Use credit instead of debit.

If you get scammed and try to get your money back you may have better luck with credit card transactions versus debit cards.

Credit cards can put an extra layer of protection in between you and the bad guys.

#TIP 8. Don't expect money from answering questions.

There are many legitimate website satisfaction surveys, but when a window pops up promising you cashbor gift cards just for answering a simple survey like "Do you use the internet?" close it and move on.

And do not enter your cell phone number to claim the R 1000.00 gift card that a website is promising you, unless you are prepared to pay for premium services you never ordered.

#TIP 9. Lock up your devices.

Passwords protect your tablet, smartphone or laptop so that, if lost or stolen, your data will be harder for strangers to access.

Choose a password or code that is easy for you to remember but hard for other people to guess.

Set the timing so that the device locks after a short period of inactivity.

#TIP 10. Backup your data.

If you have to face a worst case scenario this month, like your laptop going missing or a mobile device like your smartphone or tablet being stolen, the situation will be a lot less upsetting if you have your device backed up, that is, copies of your files safely stored somewhere else.

In today's times you can backup your personal information using an online cloud based service, for instance Dropbox or Google Drive.

Remember to include a password manager app along the way to manage your confidential information, like your personal banking details, account profiles,etc.

You may also use your USB or external hard drive as offline storage, and remember to place these items in a safe and cool environment.

#TIP 11. Stay awake after the holidays.

When New Year lull sets in, there's a tendancy to avoid looking at the credit card statements arriving by mail (or email).

But if you got scammed, that statement may be the first sign, so at least skim the statement to see if there are any transactions you don't recognise.

Follow these tips and you should sleep a little better during lockdown.

Remember, as in life, there are online deals that can seem too good to be true.

A cautious and sceptical approach may sound boring, but it can pay off.

After all, if you feel you don't have enough time to get your shopping done, you certainly don't have time to deal with fraudulent charges, flaky deals, or stolen data.