Stay safe Christmas shopping online

The festive period sees many of us shopping more than usual – and a lot of it online. But cybercriminals know our Christmas shopping habits and that it can be a time when we’re less vigilant to their online scams.

But there are ways we can stay safe when browsing and paying for goods online. Here’s your reminder when it comes to shopping securely and the safest approach – including a few safety tips you might not have previously considered.

Festive period reduces shopper vigilance

The pressure to buy more than usual as well as grab goods at bargain prices, before a certain date in late December arrives, is a toxic combination of factors that puts a usual level of online vigilance to the test. While we think we might know how to spot a scam the festive period sees increased success for fraudsters.

From November 2022 to January 2023, UK shoppers lost more than £10.6 million to online scammers, according to data published by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), with “each victim losing £639 on average”.

The reports relating to the fraud showed 51% involved social media, indicating that shopping via social media platforms comes with a higher risk.

How to shop online as safely as possible

So, what can you do to ensure your online safety this Christmas?

There are never any absolute guarantees when it comes to the ever-evolving world of cybercrime. But here are your go-to, expert tips for keeping your online shopping budget as safe and secure as possible this festive season.

1. Buy from legitimate sellers

More than half of last year’s fraud took place shopping via social media platforms. Take time to research sellers properly to ensure you trust that they’re legitimate. When purchasing, type in their URL to go directly to their store – not through links, particularly those given on social media.

2. Use a credit card for online payments

Using a debit card will not protect you, should fraud occur. If you pay by credit card, the likelihood is most companies provide some online purchase protection against fraud. 

Plus, if your payment details are stolen, the criminals will not have access to your bank account.

Consider also paying by Google Pay, Apple Pay or PayPal, that also won’t give hackers information about your bank account. 

3. Don’t shop while on a public network

A lesser-known security tip is to avoid shopping while you’re out and about and connected to public Wi-Fi networks. 

Public networks tend to have less security protocols in place, and while it can be tempting to get another purchase ticked off the list, it’s best saved until you’re on a more secure network as cybercriminals can gain access to your payment details and other sensitive information.  

4. Check for the closed padlock icon

Another aspect of safe shopping we can miss, when completing purchases in a hurry. Before proceeding with any payment transaction, check there’s a closed padlock icon in the browser bar, which will look like this:

The padlock doesn’t mean the retailer is trustworthy, or that their website is secure, but it means the connection is secure. If there is no padlock icon, or your browser indicates the site isn’t secure, don’t enter any payment or personal details, or create an account.

5. Stay extra vigilant to fake websites, text messages and emails

The NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) warn the use of AI by criminals means increasingly convincing fake websites and messages to trick browsers into giving away sensitive information.

Look out for email addresses where the spelling is slightly odd/different – this is likely a scam. Click on the name of the sender when viewing emails on your phone, to reveal the actual address and check it’s correct.

Do not click on links in text messages, saying you have a parcel to collect, even if it looks like it’s from Royal Mail.

And avoid redirects to retailers’ pages – they could be a fake website. Remember to type in the retailer’s URL directly, yourself, to ensure you’re on the legitimate site – with the padlock icon – prior to entering any details to make a purchase.

6. Be alert to ‘quishing’ 

There has been a reported rise in the use of QR codes by cybercriminals to get you to land on scam sites. We are becoming increasingly comfortable with scanning QR codes for ordering food, viewing information, etc. But they are a means for scammers to trick you – beware of quishing.

7. Make passwords strong, unique and use 2-step verification 

For every account, make sure you have a different, strong password, and, where there’s the option, add 2-step verification.

Using different passwords – particularly for your email account, since a lot of personal information is held here – is vital.

The NSCS recommend using three different, memorable words, including special characters, as well as using password lockers to suggest strong passwords that are saved for you, on your phone and other devices.

Read more about secure passwords and NSCS advice on passwords in their Cyber Aware guide.

If it looks too good to be true – it’s probably a scam

Remember to trust your intuition too when shopping online. Scams come in the form of offers and bargains so it’s important to listen to your own opinion – if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

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