The Online Shopping Trip Securely

Going on a shopping trip, for many people is a pleasure, though for others, a bit of a chore, but there is usually something to find enjoyment in when out and about in the high street or shopping mall.

The sights, the sounds, the shop front displays, or simply people watching, over a coffee, can all be a pleasant and relaxing way to find the goods and services we are after.

These days the computer supplies a whole different shopping experience that probably three quarters of the population now use as an alternative or in addition to their ways of finding available merchandise.

Shopping online is not, for the foreseeable future, a complete alternative to physical bricks and mortar shopping, but an addition, giving us, in combination, probably the biggest scope, range and depth of goods and services ever.

Shopping and ordering goods online has become commonplace, but it must be born in mind that these the cyber transactions, are not the cashless answer to financial security by any means.

The online shopping business is now reckoned to be worth hundreds of billions of pounds per year, and that sort of money attracts a certain type of undesirable, the cyber-criminal.

Highly sophisticated hackers are constantly finding new ways to steal money or personal information (personal information these days is, in effect, money), setting malware viruses or phishing with counterfeit websites.

The technology involved is probably beyond the average man or woman looking to shop online, but good security should be by-words for everyone, and a few simple steps, precautions, and a bit of common sense can normally provide adequate security.

As a general rule try to stick to well known or popular sites such as Amazon, Argos or john Lewis for instance, as these will have robust modern secure online systems. Should you find yourself on an unfamiliar site, take moment to look closely. Are there spelling mistakes, are the graphics as god as they should be, does it appear to be professional, and make sure you are happy with it all.

Apply a little common sense with the deal you are offered, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is, so leave it alone.

If you decide to go for a purchase, always use your credit card. The credit card will give you some protection under the Consumer credit card act, whereas your debit card will not.