MUSCAT: Online shoppers need to be more cautious as cybercriminals are on the prowl since people’s shopping habits have changed thanks to the pandemic and spamsters find it more comfortable to catch their bait easily, according to cyber experts.
While shopping on multiple e-commerce websites to grab the best deal, beware of the potential risk of being duped by someone online.
While cashing in on the convenience and accessibility that these sites provide, the risk of falling prey to cybercriminals is also high.
Majority of all sites are safe to deal with, but some sites are not safe and can cost you a fortune. Hence efforts should be made to deal with the website that carries a security certificate and lock on, they advise.
“Always, shop with reputable retailers only and avoid browsing on wifi because using public domains can help spamsters access you easily,” says Tariq Hilal al Barwani, Founder of Knowledge Oman and an IT specialist.
“Also, a background study of the website, feedback from those who have bought from the site are essential before proceeding with less known sites.”
A study conducted by Kaspersky showed that 62 per cent of people in a GCC country dealt with fraudsters who were trying to steal money, bank card details, internet banking credentials in 2020.
“When it comes to being safe and secure when shopping online, you need to know what to watch for,” says Maher Yamout, Senior Security Researcher, Global Research and Analysis Team at Kaspersky.
Even though search engines come handy when you’re looking for products, one runs the risk of unintentionally clicking on malicious search results that could lead him/her to phishing websites instead. These malicious search results are created and designed by cybercriminals to capture the user’s personal data such as credit card details and steal money.
“Also, one shouldn’t make his password an easy-to-guess word or place name. Creating a password with a mixture of numbers and letters and even punctuation marks is always helpful.”
Credit card users, according to Tariq, should use only one card whereby he/she can lower the risk of having information from multiple cards being spread all over the internet. It may be possible to restrict the credit limit for your ‘online credit card’ or to hold a limited amount of money on your ‘online debit card’.
Also, one shouldn’t fall flat for amazing offers as many of the ‘unbelievable prices’ can be seemingly lucrative but deceptive.
