Safe Christmas online shopping tips that are both easy and effective

Despite the many days left until Christmas, you can already sense that the holiday season has started well in advance. Numerous retail players in the online realm have already equipped themselves with all sorts of Christmas-related items, collections, and perks, whether you look at red pyjamas, Merry X-mas discounts, or 2+1 offers.

The calendar’s winding and days are flying faster than ever around these times, meaning that the urgency and hastiness to get those top gifts for dear ones are also surging. With the large number of sales in the Christmas season that, despite a continuous decline from 2021, still overtakes the revenue around other holidays like Valentine’s Day comes a myriad of threats, scams, data thefts, and similar cybersecurity risks. Evidently, the number of data breaches remains concerning. In 2021, around 219 records breached were registered in the UK, which calls for extra preventative measures and awareness.

Christmas shopping is just as merry as it is risky. You don’t want to fall into the trap of scammers or give away essential data that you will regret later. To help you prevent perilous missteps and resulting daunting aftermaths, we’ve handpicked some of the best tips to engage in safe and risk-free shopping while also ensuring you don’t compromise on the quality of the gifts. Keep reading to find out almost anything you need to learn!

Behave like a guest

Numerous online shopping websites encourage you to register on their platform in order to place an order. While sometimes there’s no way around this action, it’s critical to remember that the info you pass is personal and ends up in a database. Suppose you’re stumbling upon a shady website that tricks you into disclosing information. Then, if the fraudulent provider succeeds in achieving their plan, your data could end up in the wrong place, putting you in a sensitive position.

There are cases when you innocently offer your data to websites, and they mistreat it, leading to its compromise. In similar daunting instances, knowing when and how to make a Data Breach Claim can distinguish between insignificant and irretrievable losses.

Many online shopping sites want you to create an online account to make a purchase. But to do so, you must give up personal information to another database. If you end up dealing with a fraudulent site, you’ll give up information that could be used for future scams. Check out as a guest, so you don’t have to provide too much information. While being caught off guard and unprepared is normal, it doesn’t mean you have to remain a losing victim. There are methods to counterbalance the damages done and get back on track from where you left both financially and emotionally. Since breaches are everywhere, other tips can prepare you to fight any mishap.  

If a gift card sounds too good to be true, it probably is

Don’t get in the trap of an unparalleled offer of a random gift card because they’re actually more common than you’d naturally think. Consumers are thrilled at the thought of receiving something free, which is why freebies, samples, testers, and other pro bono acts fuel the popularity and revenue of forward-looking businesses. However, free offerings like these must be double or triple-checked before they’re embraced. The email you’ve received stating that you have $50 to spare on anything you want from a website is often fake! Probably, such an email will never get into your inbox and be honest at the same time. Just look at the retailer’s website, check reviews, and contact customer service or support for further details that help you determine the link’s genuineness.

Pay attention to the unrealistic promises

Christmas shopping sprees that take part from a larger season that spans the first days of November to the first days of the new year are the busiest in terms of online purchases. Scammers are well aware that folks will seek fast delivery, believing that some kind of magic happens and an item from the other corner of the world will telepathically arrive to them just for the sake of consumers’ joy.

Don’t let your unpreparedness or desperation put you in a risky position where you fall into the trap of empty promises that “guarantee” quick deliveries and returns. Remain as sceptical as you would typically be when an offer seems dubiously good, especially for the terms that promise a 24-hour or 48-hour delivery or those that ask for an extra payment to make the delivery quickly.

Answer some questions

Questioning everything that seems unrealistically incredible is the healthiest way to protect your data from being compromised in today’s sneaky online realm. If an item you listen to online steals your attention, do some background checks to ensure your data isn’t consequently stolen without your consent.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself to decide whether a website is legitimate and safe for use:

• Are their social media pages genuine?
• How credible are their Google ratings and reviews?
• Am I comfortable with the terms and conditions?
• What does Google say about them at first check?
• What’s the refund policy?

Beware of push messages and pop-ups

The eye-catching, sudden messages that spawn on your mobile device’s display are just as intrusive as they can seem, meaning you don’t want to let them dig further into your device’s system. Stay cautious regarding suspicious text emails and messages because scammers are ambitious and intelligent, calling for increased attention.  

Social media ads can hide threats through ungenuine offers, crypto scams, fake sites, and more. To ensure a real deal, independently check out their app, websites, social media accounts, and any other resource that might disclose the truth.

Check the e-mark

It’s always recommended to seek the e-brand before making an order, as it will give you peace of mind that the website is safe for submission. The e-brand represents a secure Internet commerce entity. Every e-branded online store is controlled and monitored by an e-commerce fund, which should always assist if needed.

Holidays like Christmas are all about giving, but giving away sensitive data is not the type of present you want to make irrationally. While scammers and data thieves will jump to happiness, the same cannot be said about you, so watch out for suspicious offers and any deal that seems too good to be real.