Try to shop only on Popular or Familiar Websites

• Beware of misspellings or sites using a different top-level domain (.net instead of .com, for example). Those are the oldest tricks in the book. Yes, sales on these sites might look enticing, but that’s how they trick you into giving up your info.

When in doubt, inspect the URL

• If you’re unsure if the site you’re buying from is legit, look at your browser’s address bar. Buy only from websites starting with with HTTPS:// not with HTTP://

Research the Seller before buying

• You can research online shops to check they’re legitimate, particularly if it’s a store you’ve not used before. Use consumer websites or reviews from people (or organisations) that you trust.

Avoid using your Debit Card to shop online

• If your debit card is compromised, scammers have direct access to your bank funds. It’s wise to use a credit card or a disposable card to make online shopping safer.

Only provide required details on checkout

• When making your payment, only fill in the mandatory details (often marked with an asterisk). Unless you think you’ll become a regular customer, don’t create an account for the store.

Keep your accounts secure

• Make sure your shopping, online banking and payment accounts are protected by strong passwords that you don’t use for any other account.