An expert has shared tips on avoiding scams and viruses this Christmas when doing your shopping online.
Ariana Bago, a fraud analyst, warns people to be wary of fraudsters over the festive season, with many attempting to take advantage of people’s generosity.
Estimating that over £4 billion were lost last year to dodgy websites and tricksters, she warns people to beware.
Now sharing her tips to stay safe, she suggests avoiding public WiFi and using PayPal instead of debit cards.
“It’s important to remain safe when shopping online,” she told NeedToKnow.co.uk.
“To begin with, only shop on reputable websites that you have either shopped on before or the website has a good variety of customer reviews.
“Secondly, it’s important to consider the best payment method, which in the case of online shopping, is PayPal or a credit card.
“Using either of these methods provides you with more protection compared to a debit card and PayPal makes it harder for scammers to obtain your private details.
“In most cases, shopping online is extremely safe but it’s important to be aware of the dangers to look out for and how to reduce your risks of falling victim to a scam or purchasing from an untrustworthy retailer.”
As well as this, Ariana suggests avoiding public WiFi to prevent your data from being exposed, keeping your virus protection software up-to-date and knowing your rights as a consumer.
She added: “No matter what time of the year you’re shopping online, it’s important to know your rights as a consumer.
Different retailers have varied rules on the duration of time in which products can be returned so make sure you’re aware of this to avoid losing money.“
