More than 100,000 people were victims of identity theft in the UK last year. A growing number of these crimes are committed online by hackers. Contrary to popular belief, most hackers and internet thieves are not geniuses. They don't spend their time trying to access supposedly impregnable websites. Rather, they seek out unprotected sites and wait for an unsuspecting customer to make a payment. They then intercept this payment and voila! They have access to a credit or a debit card account.
It is fast, it is easy, and it is increasingly common. In this brief article we will discuss a few simple tips that will keep you from becoming another statistic. They may seem obvious, but trust us, they work when you shop for interior design products.
Where to start? It stands to reason that the most secure and reliable websites are the ones that have been around for some time and have earned a reputation for customer service. These companies rely on internet commerce and if there is a problem they will often refund your money no questions asked. If you are new to online shopping, we strongly suggest that you do your shopping on larger, more reputable sites.
For shoppers who have some experience with online shopping, finding the best bargains and deals can be exciting and fun. But it can also be potentially hazardous to your finances. As we mentioned, hackers are always on the lookout for unprotected sites that attract new buyers with dynamite deals.
One sure way to tell if a website is secure is if they post the fact that they are PCI DSS compliant. PCI is a set of rules that all protected websites must abide by. If a website does not mention compliance, it is always a good idea to contact them directly, either by phone or live chat, and ask them if their site is secure.
