When shopping online, it is necessary to provide personal and financial information, such as credit card number, address, and CPF. Sites without encryption or with weak security can expose this information to hackers and put users' integrity at risk. In this context, following some guidelines can help the consumer ensure a safe online shopping experience. Checking the site's reputation, being alert to signs of fraud, and using security tools such as virtual credit cards are some of these actions.
See below six tips for shopping safely and avoiding scams and fraud:
- Company reputation
Before making an online purchase, it is essential to check the company's reputation. Use tools like Reclame Aqui and social media to research possible 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 warning sign.
- Seemingly unmissable offers
Be wary of offers that are too good to be true. Extremely high discounts, especially when combined with payment options such as bank transfer, boleto, or Pix, are a warning sign. These payment methods are the scammers' favorites. Additionally, fraudulent websites often offer products at prices far below the market. Deceptive pages often have low-quality layouts, with inconsistent images, texts, 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. The icon indicates that the site is secure. For greater security, use virtual credit cards offered by banks. If the virtual card data is stolen, it cannot be used again.
- Security Indicators Combo
To ensure that a website is safe for shopping, have prior knowledge about the company, confirm the presence of a closed padlock next to the website URL, analyze positive experiences from other consumers on social media, check for a low number of negative complaints, and verify if the CNPJ registration status is normal 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 consumer distraction, who ends up providing their data to fake websites after being attracted by unrealistic discounts. Therefore, paying attention to these tips is essential when making online purchases.
Finally, it is worth making a note: even on seemingly secure websites, the risk of data leaks exists. Large companies like Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Apple have already faced this type of problem. Therefore, taking care of your data and personal information should be part of your conduct in all online interactions.
