How to stay safe when shopping online, and avoid scams and identity theft

jj20

Hi, I'm not sure if I'm in the right section but any advice would be appreciated. I am not techy savvy at all and I easily get muddled up/confused with it all, but I want to try some shopping online. I am very anxious about online scams and identity theft. I've tried to read up on it all but found it even more confusing with all the bank apps, online apps, pre paid cards and so on. I just would like something simple to just put a certain amount of money on it and use for basic shopping with as little risk as possible. Another problem I have is the lack of photo ID. (only have an expired passport and old paper licence and most places require photo ID now)

Anyway so how do people stay safe and secure online? Do people mostly use a mobile now to pay for things or use a card? Has anybody used pre paid cards before? Is it safer to use a laptop or android tablet to shop online? Do you need extra security software on your electronics? Is there anything else I would need to think about to shop safely?

Thanks.

flaneurs_lobster

What type of online shopping are you looking to do?

It's a lot safer buying cornflakes from tesco.com than it is buying almost anything from people you've never heard of.

jj20

Hi, just the usual stuff, like supermarkets, home bargains, ebay, amazon, argos and any others shops really if I see something I need. I just get really panicky when dealing with online and banking stuff so I'm trying to learn the safest way to do things.

flaneurs_lobster

Assume you have a mobile phone?

The safest way to be sure that you are using a genuine site belonging to a named retailer is to use their app.

By all means use a laptop or tablet if you find that easier to browse on because of the larger screen, you can also fill a virtual shopping basket at a supermarket using a laptop, save it, then use your phone to pay.

What account(s)/card(s) do you already have?

lr1277

I would use a credit card and not a debit card. Also the credit card must have good customer support so they can be contacted if something goes wrong and the solution they provide is acceptable to you.

At the moment I can only think of 3 online stores I would shop at, based on my own personal preferences. Two of them being Amazon and John Lewis.

Recently I saw some kind of science type toy advertised but it was being sent from China so I didn't take it any further. So if buying online check where the company that is selling is located and also from where items will be dispatched. I tend to buy from companies based in the UK dispatching from the UK. The selling company must show you their address, phone number and any returns policy. Not that Chinese based companies can't do that but I will stick to what I trust.

And I have an advantage is that I live near both a John Lewis store and a Waitrose. So items I order from the JL website I pick up at either John Lewis or Waitrose. I would never order high value electronics from Amazon because there have been a few reports on these boards of people receiving empty boxes from Amazon and Amazon washing their hand of the purchase.

itsthelittlethings

If it looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is. Also I would be very wary of spending more than about £50 unless it with a reputable online retailer. Ebay especially can have some dodgy people on and if they're overseas you probably won't get your money back. Don't spend what you can't afford to lose.

jj20

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82034666#Comment_82034666

I only have a basic phone at the moment, and I only have 1 bank account. Ideally the pre paid cards sound the safest as they would contain the only money I put in it and so I wouldn't lose much if it gets hacked or something, but the requirement to have current photo Id is an problem for me. What do people usually use to pay for item, debit card, credit card, or Google pay???, or something else?

danny13579

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82034713#Comment_82034713

You have more rights and greater protection when you spend over £100 on a credit card. Keeping your online spending to less than £50 unless it's a "reputable online retailer" is daft advice. If you spend with a debit card or credit card online you have protections ranging from chargeback to section 75. eBay have buyer protection policies in addition to your other rights.

jj20

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82034706#Comment_82034706

Thanks. Don't you need photo Id for a credit card though, and a good credit score (I've not bought online before so I imagine my score would be low?

jj20

Thanks Danny and it'sthelittlethings. As I've been reading up on this I'm finding out just how much online scams occur. Do you use banking apps on a mobile and is it a good thing, or is it best to use a card on a website on a laptop or tablet?

Brie

You're not (presumably) applying for credit so your credit score is immaterial (it's a fiction in any case but that's a different discussion). Because you are buying online with a (hopefully reputable) website all they need is your card details, no photo ID etc required.

My advice is the same as what my parents told us kids. When you want to buy something shop around and then don't buy it immediately. Wait a hour or two, overnight is best and then consider if you still want it. And is it a want or a need? They are different things.

If you find a great deal on a site you don't know then research the site. google the site and add "review". So if you google John Lewis review you'll get a sense that it is a legit site. If you're unsure don't buy.

Check on the T&Cs about how to do returns. That might tell you the country it's being shipped from and then you should know if there are going to be import charges after you receive the goods.

FYI - I spotted some great stuff on a website, went ahead and ordered and then realised I made a mistake. I asked on one of the forums here about the company and some lovely forumulites pointed out where I had been tricked. Fortunately I contacted the company immediately and was able to cancel the order before anything was shipped. Lesson learned.