Avoid fake websites when shopping online

Payment precautions
Even if an online shop passes all these checks to your satisfaction, it’s vital to keep an eye on it when the time comes to pay. When sending your credit card details over the internet you should always ensure that they are protected by encryption. On the web this is provided using a technology called SSL.

Checking whether a page is secured by SSL is relatively easy: look for the extra ‘s’ as the address of the page will start with https:// rather than http://, and a small icon of a golden padlock will appear in the address bar of your browser. The ‘certificate’ used to encrypt your details can sometimes be used to get more information about who is taking the payment from you.

Never make a payment to a page that is not secure, but remember that a secure page alone is no guarantee of a safe transaction: all it means is that your credit card details cannot be intercepted by a third party.

When making payments online it’s best to use a credit card rather than a debit card. This provides extra protection in case anything should go wrong, and should a site prove not to be genuine it may be possible to claim a refund from your credit card company.

The same is not true of payments made by cheque or debit card. If your money is lost in this way there is little likelihood of getting it back.

Cash transfer services such as Western Union should be avoided as once you have sent your cash there’s no way to get it back should something go wrong.

Payments via Paypal are not protected in the same way as credit card payments, although the company does provide some recourse for those buying and selling via Ebay.

Trusted tools
Although common sense and vigilance are your best weapons in the war against online scammers, there are also some clever tools that can help. There are numerous options to choose from, and in the three-step guide below we show you how to get started using Web Of Trust (WOT).

Its simple toolbar makes it clear at a glance whether a site can be trusted or whether it has been found to be unreliable. Available for both Internet Explorer and Firefox, WOT uses an easy­to-understand traffic-light system to indicate site safety, and it can even check the sites displayed in search results so you can decide whether to visit a site or whether to avoid it.

Check websites with the Web of Trust
Pay a visit to the Web Of Trust (WOT), move to the Download section and click the Free Download button. The browser safety tool is available for Internet Explorer and Firefox, and the correct version will be automatically downloaded and installed. Complete the installation, following any on-screen instructions and restarting your browser if necessary. WOT will automatically launch.

From the screen that appears, choose between using Basic or Light protection. In Basic mode, ratings will be displayed for all sites and search results, while in Light mode only dangerous sites will be highlighted. Click Finish and the program is ready for use, and you can continue to browse the internet as normal. A new toolbar should be visible at the top of the screen.

When a site is visited, the colour of the icon in the toolbar indicates whether it is safe or not ­ green means that everything should be OK. To view more detailed information about a particular site, click this button and select ‘View scorecard for rating details’. Remember that WOT ratings should be treated as a guide, not proof of a site’s safety.

Getting more detail
It is even possible to view more detailed information about particular sites to help determine why it has been rated in the way it has. Registered users are not only able to provide their own ratings for sites but they can also leave their comments.

There are a number of other programs and browser add-ons that work in a similar way, including Browser Defender, Finjan Securebrowsing and McAfee Siteadvisor. Each works in much the same way and the accuracy of the advice given by them improves as more people rate sites.

It’s unfortunate that someone must fall victim to a malicious site in order to warn others of the risks, but there are obvious benefits to this personal reporting.

Internet users are used to the idea of numerous forms of online protection, from anti-virus tools to firewalls. Tools for checking the safety of individual sites are just another weapon in your security arsenal and could help to protect your personal data and avoid the risk of losing money. But common sense is also a valuable tool. If a site doesn’t look or feel quite right, it is probably best to walk away rather than risk losing money.

If the worst happens
We all like to think that we would never fall for a scam, but statistics show that a huge number of people get caught out each year. Should you discover that your card details have been handed over to a dodgy website, you should immediately contact the issuing bank to ensure that the card is cancelled as soon as possible.

Explain the details of what has happened and that the card needs to be stopped immediately. Once this is done, continue to check your credit card statements. If any transactions appear that you are not responsible for, alert both the credit card company and the police.

Stay safe
So be vigilant when shopping online. If you have been drawn in by a spectacular price, think about how that one site is able to provide offers that far exceed those available elsewhere. If you are in any doubt about a website, and are unable to verify its authenticity, it is better to leave it alone and miss out on a potentially low price rather than risk being scammed out of money.

There’s no reason to avoid online shopping provided care is taken, and using the information in this guide you should be armed with everything you need to ensure your money doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.

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