Children’s Day is approaching, bringing with it the desire to give gifts to the little ones. As a result, the increase in promotions and special conditions for online purchases becomes a consequence, creating opportunities not only for consumers but also for cybercriminals.
According to a recent study conducted by the National Confederation of Shopkeepers (CNDL), 3 out of 10 consumers were victims or experienced fraud attempts during online shopping in 2024. Last year, approximately 7.2 million Brazilians suffered some financial damage from digital scams.
With that in mind, Denis Riviello, cybersecurity director of CG One, a technology company focused on information security, network protection, and integrated risk management, warns about the need to be extra cautious when making online purchases during this period.
To ensure gifts without losses, check out tips on how to make a secure online purchase and get ready for this date:
- Be cautious with personal data
Sharing personal information online can be extremely dangerous, and certain digital consumption habits can expose sensitive data without the user realizing. Therefore, the expert warns against saving credit card numbers on devices or browsers, even those considered secure.
“One option is to use temporary credit cards, created especially for a specific purchase, as well as opting for payments via PIX or other methods that do not allow the reuse of provided data,” advises.
- Check the store’s reputation
To check the reputation of a store or e-commerce, complaint websites can be good allies to identify fraudulent companies, as they have evaluations and experiences from other consumers.
According to Rivello, it is important to consult the company’s history on other online sources. “With this information, the consumer can choose to negotiate only with companies that have a positive and reliable reputation,” advises.
- Pay attention to emails
Emails also pose a great risk to consumers, as they are daily used for sending spams. To avoid falling for scams like these, the CG One expert recommends that buyers always check the sender’s domain, i.e., the part that appears after the ‘@’.
“If the domain is different from the official site or seems generic, it is a warning sign,” explains.
- Look for authenticity signs
As elaborate as some fake sites may seem, it is possible to identify fraud clues by paying attention to some details. According to Riviello, the first step is to make sure that the URL starts with “https://” and that there is a padlock icon in the address bar, indicating that the connection between the device and the server is secure.
Furthermore, the expert emphasizes that reliable sites generally have a “contact” or “about us” section.
- Be wary of irresistible offers
During celebratory times like Children’s Day, it is common to see an influx of products or overly advantageous promotions. However, professionals recommend exercising extra caution with offers and conditions that seem too good to be true.
“Highly attractive promotions can be used as traps to lure consumers to fake websites or untrustworthy stores, putting their personal and financial data at risk. This practice is known as social engineering, a technique used to manipulate buyers by exploiting their desire to save money,” he explains.
- Cyber protection is always essential
To ensure greater cyber protection, it is advisable for the buyer to use additional protection solutions such as antivirus programs, keep protection software updated, and choose browsers that identify dangerous sites.
“These extensions are plugins that enhance browser functions, capable of blocking ads to increase security. It is a good idea to research the most recommended extensions for each browser and install them,” Riviello concludes.
