How to be online Shopping Savvy
Here's some simple yet effective advice on how you can stay safe when you are shopping online:
Register your cards
The Co-operative Bank and smile are currently rolling out Verified by Visa to our customers. This involves using a personal password to add an extra layer of protection when you shop online. Once you have signed up for this service you will be asked to enter this additional password when you shop online at participating retailers.
The first thing that you have to do is to register your card details. This way you will benefit from an extra level of security.
Find out more by visiting The Co-operative bank verified by visa.
Only use secure sites
The padlock at the bottom of the login page indicates it's a secure site.
Before entering sensitive information (such as your credit or debit card details) into a website, you should always check that this information is being handled in a secure manner. Whenever you are typing in personal information, make sure that the web address (in the address bar) begins with https (the s stands for 'secure'). Also check to see if a small locked padlock appears in the browser window.
The 'padlock' is one way of checking that a website is secure and indicates that your information will be encrypted.
What else can I do?
Don't be fooled by a padlock that appears on the web page itself. It is possible for a fraudster to copy the image of a padlock. You need to check that it is in the window frame of the browser itself.
Know who you are dealing with - if you are not familiar with the retailer try to find out more about them. Using a search engine can help you check that a retailer is reliable.
Look for evidence of a physical address and landline telephone contact details. You may consider phoning them before you place an order.
Be extremely wary of anything that is offered in an unsolicited email or looks suspiciously cheap.
Look for third-party seals of approval. Companies can put these seals on their sites only if they abide by a set of rigorous standards. We recommend clicking on such images, as a genuine logo will always link through to the approving organisation.
With recent browsers (such as Internet Explorer 8, Firefox 3 and Opera 9.5) you may see the address bar turn green when visiting a trusted website.
This uses a system called extended validation SSL certificates and is used on some secure websites. Click here for more details.
Key tips
- Before entering personal details, look for a padlock or a website address that starts with 'https:'
- Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited email.
- Ensure that you know who you are buying from.
- If an offer looks too good to be true then it probably is.
