As everything from finance to entertainment starts to move almost exclusively into the online sphere, it’s worth checking in on your online spending habits and the security level of your favourite retailers and service providers. When it’s this easy to pay your energy bills, buy a new laptop and purchase the latest AAA gaming titles online, then it is imperative that you make sure you are doing so safely. As the internet itself and the accompanying technology have developed over recent years, so has the need to protect valuable customer information and consumer capital. Whether you pay by debit card, PayPal, online bank transfer or using another method, your details and your cash are both at risk if you don’t pay through reliable channels.
Thankfully, most reputable retailers work hard to make sure you are safe when shopping with them. Here are just a few ways in which they protect not only your money but your personal details too.
Use Dependable Payment Methods
First off, this is a big one. Using a safe, trustworthy and dependable payment method is a must if a retailer is asking customers to pay online. Services such as PayPal, Apple Pay, Skrill and Neteller allow people to pay for goods and services over the internet without inputting their bank details or any identifying information. Although most banks now have increased security surrounding their online payment methods, using a service like PayPal adds an extra level of protection.
It is usually good practice for retailers and service providers to offer a variety of different payment methods, all of them reliable and secure. This means that customers can choose the one that they’re most comfortable with. Warning signs to look out for include when a retailer asks you to pay directly into a personal bank account, when the price changes after checkout for no discernible reason, or when a business asks you to send your bank details to them personally, via email address or other messaging service. These methods do not represent normal practice.
Offer ‘Try Before You Buy’ Deals
However, there is an alternative that is often open to customers before they’ve even committed a single penny of their own money. Trying out a product or service before coughing up any cash is the perfect way for a business to reward customers’ trust in them, and for customers to sample something before they decide to take the plunge with it. Services such as Audible, Netflix and Playstation Plus all offer free trials for new customers worldwide, usually lasting around 1-2 weeks in length. This gives interested parties the chance to see whether the platform is right for them. Alternatively, it is common for online casinos to provide no deposit bonuses for newcomers and loyal customers alike, constructed for specific locations and target audiences. This approach gives players the chance to play and win without committing any of their own money; for example, Casinos.co.za can advise South African players on how to win instant cash with no deposit South Africa. This approach is a great way to try out a number of different platforms before deciding which one to sign up with.
Implement Increased Security Measures
As threats to cybersecurity have advanced, online security measures have had to evolve in order to keep up with them. This has led to many online retailers and services implementing an increase in website security, requiring customers to utilise two-factor authentication, secure passwords and safe login details in order to access their accounts. If possible, it is always advisable to use 2FA and a password generator or manager to keep your information, and therefore your money, safe. Whether you choose to use a PIN, a ‘secret question’ answer, a code texted to your smartphone or a biometric scan like a fingerprint, it all goes towards keeping you and your money safer online.