When shopping online, you need to provide personal and financial information, such as your credit card number, address, and CPF (Brazilian Social Security Number). Unencrypted or weakly secured websites can expose this information to hackers and put users' privacy at risk. In this context, following certain guidelines can help consumers ensure a safe online shopping experience. Checking the website's reputation, being alert for signs of fraud, and using security tools such as virtual credit cards are some of these steps.
Below are six tips for shopping safely and avoiding scams and fraud:
- Company reputation
Before making an online purchase, it's essential to check the company's reputation. Use tools like Reclame Aqui and social media to research potential complaints about the store. By typing the company's name into search engines, you can get an overview of its reliability. Many complaints are a red flag.
- Seemingly unmissable offers
Be wary of overly generous offers. Extremely high discounts, especially when combined with payment options like bank transfer, boleto, or Pix, are a red flag. These payment methods are preferred by scammers. Furthermore, fraudulent websites often offer products at prices well below market value. And deceptive pages often have low-quality layouts, with inconsistent images, text, and colors.
- Website security
Before entering personal or credit card information, pay attention to the website's technological security. Check if the online store is encrypted by looking for the closed padlock icon in the upper left corner of the screen, both on desktop and mobile devices. This icon indicates that the website is secure. For added security, use virtual credit cards offered by banks. If virtual card data is stolen, it cannot be used again.
- Security Indicator Combo
To ensure a website is safe for shopping, familiarize yourself with the company in advance, check for a closed padlock next to the website's URL, analyze positive experiences from other consumers on social media, check for a low number of negative complaints, and verify that the CNPJ registration status is in order with the Federal Revenue Service.
In general, large Brazilian companies and retail websites are trustworthy and invest in technology and security, including anti-fraud systems. However, many scams occur due to consumers' distraction, who end up providing their data to fake websites after being lured by unrealistic discounts. Therefore, being aware of these tips is essential when shopping online.
Finally, it's worth noting: even on seemingly secure websites, there's a risk of data leaks. Major companies like Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Apple have already faced these kinds of issues. Therefore, taking care of your data and personal information should be part of your conduct in all online interactions.
