It’s quick, convenient and the options are basically endless – it’s no wonder online shopping has taken off in a big way. And South Africa is no exception, with our e-commerce industry already topping R200-billion/annum and expected to grow to R400-billion by 2025.

Just because you can shop almost anything your heart desires from the comfort of your home doesn’t mean there aren’t any risks involved. In fact, even though the numbers are decreasing annually, according to a recent study 74% of online shoppers worldwide admitted to losing money from online shopping scams.

The risks are out there, but online shopping still offers a much bigger reward. You just need to keep a few things in mind before you click purchase. Or any link at all, really.

Steer clear of free public Wi-Fi

Who doesn’t love a free Wi-Fi hotspot? If you’ve run out of data and you need to check Google Maps ASAP, there’s nothing better. That doesn’t mean it’s safe for you to use when any kind of sensitive information – like your banking info – is needed. More often than not, these networks can be unencrypted allowing anyone with the know-how to sneak in and steal your info, spy on your browsing habits or send malware your way. Save your online shopping for a network you know and trust – the one you have at home.

Pick strong passwords

The harder they are to crack or guess, the safer your online experience will be – especially when it comes to shopping across sites. In fact, here you’d probably benefit from installing a password manager to help you keep track of all your logins and, most importantly, keep them safe. A good antivirus solution usually includes password security features as part of the deal. And when you have no more passwords left in you, they can also help generate them, too.

Guard your info

Whether it’s your name, banking details or ID number, always triple check who might be asking and why before you make a purchase online. Where possible, look for secure payment portals that accept credit or debit card info and link back to your banking app with multifactor authentication. Don’t forget, if anyone asks you to send them your password or OTP (one-time Pin) directly: just don’t.

Big screens are better

As much as online shopping is all about convenience, it’s always better to choose the bigger screen to shop from where possible. This will let you spot online shopping essentials, like the SSL certificate – represented by the padlock icon in the address bar or a URL that begins with https instead of http. Sites with SSL are safe for browsing and shopping. It’s also a lot harder for scam sites to hide typos or poor-quality images on larger screens – these are also red flags for scam sites, especially if it’s a site you’ve never shopped from before.

Strengthen your Internet security

Shopping can be stressful at the best of times, whether you’re doing it IRL or not. If you’re shopping online, at least you can count on having a little extra backup in the form of your Internet security solution. At Braintree, we back McAfee Internet Security or McAfee Total Protection to keep our home devices safe from cyber harm. McAfee’s built-in safe browsing mode helps to keep malicious websites out of your browser history while keeping your devices free from malicious phishing viruses and malware 24/7.

About Braintree
Masters of Microsoft — a Gold Certified Partner trusted by thousands of customers for their homes and businesses. Braintree makes a difference to our customers by unlocking the potential of the cloud, software and hardware so that they can digitally transform and provide them with support centres to keep them productive, and having fun.