Five ways to shop safely online

According to a recent report by Digital Commerce 360, consumers spent $513.61 billion online in 2018. That’s a 14% over 2017. And, no doubt, the appeal of being able to do your shopping without fighting your way through a crowded mall is a key reason for the growth.

Even though the fraud rate for digital transactions has actually remained flat, news headlines about data breaches might give you pause about shopping online. While consumers are protected from fraudulent transactions with Visa’s Zero Liability policy, we all want to do our part to protect ourselves from fraud.

Here are Visa’s tips for being a—smart and secure—shopper.

1. Update security software. Before you start shopping online, make sure you have security on your devices. Cybercriminals can not only invade your computer, they can also get into your phone or tablet and steal your personal information.
2. Always check the URL. Double-check the website's URL before you enter any of your payment details. Be certain that the URL begins with "https://". The "s" at the end of the "http" confirms that the site has a secure connection.
3. Update your passwords. It’s a good practice to update and use strong passwords that are unique to each business with which you register. Criminals can connect the dots between data breaches of usernames and passwords, so if you use the same email address and password for multiple sites, you might be more vulnerable. 
4. Beware of email and phone scams. Phishing scams come in all forms—especially near the holidays when we might be overwhelmed. Make sure you learn some of the warning signs of a phishing scam. Also, be wary of enticing “one day only” deals from recognized brands or fake delivery tracking emails that direct you to unknown URLs. Scammers will create emails specifically to try to obtain your personal information or infect your device.
5. Know that you’re protected. Ultimately, shopping online is safe. In addition to Zero Liability, online businesses, mobile apps, and financial institutions are adopting security measures such as tokenization, EMV 3-D Secure, and biometric authentication, to name a few, to make digital transactions safer. In fact, the overall fraud rate has remained at less than one-tenth of one percent for many years, even as we have dealt with increasingly sophisticated criminal threats.  

It always pays to be proactive. So make sure you’ve turned on two-factor authentication on your devices and accounts and have set your financial apps to provide you with alerts about purchases and transactions.