Shopping online? Here are a few safety and security tips

Online shopping allows customers to conveniently browse through their favorite online selections in the comfort of their homes or offices, which is perfect for those who do not want commutes and long queues at checkout counters. Shopping online is not without downsides however, especially in terms of Internet safety and security.

If you’re planning to shop online, here are a few safety and security tips, including the use of a virtual private network or VPN for online shopping, for stress-free shopping sessions:

Check the link before clicking

Clicking on an unsafe link while shopping online is not uncommon, given how easy it is for cybercriminals to spoof URLs these days. Unsafe links can make your device vulnerable to malware attacks, which in turn can jeopardize your sensitive information including your bank credentials and credit card transactions. There are a number of ways to do this safely, and the easiest is by hovering over the link to show a preview on the lower left corner of the screen.

Watch out for phishing and overlays

Aside from infected links, online shoppers are also faced with other threats such as phishing and overlays. These malicious activities enable hackers to create spoof pages that are nearly identical to the log-in pages used by online retailers. Before inputting any information, make sure that the URL matches the one used by the online retailer that you’re on. Also, if you’re prompted to log-in again even if you already did, there is a good chance that that is a phishing page.

Don’t use public hotspots if possible

You might be tempted to shop online while connected to a public hotspot at a coffee shop or hotel. The problem though is that nowadays it’s easy for a snooper to create a public connection that uses the exact same name and configurations as a legitimate hotspot. If you connect to a hotspot established by a snooper, that snooper can then intercept any information that passes through the connection, including your credit card number and passwords.

Use a VPN for online shopping

Connecting to the Internet using a VPN such as Hotspot Shield provides a number of benefits for online shoppers. These include:

• Access to different deals – Online deals and promos can vary by territory, and some of them may be available only to limited locations. Hotspot Shield enables access to different deals by providing temporary IP addresses from different locations, making it seem like you’re shopping online in another virtual location at a time.

• Malware protection – Shopping online is safer and more secure when using Hotspot Shield because of the added malware protection it provides. If you use Hotspot Shield VPN for online shopping, you won’t have to worry about malware attacks when browsing your favorite online catalogs because it notifies you if the website or link that you’re trying to visit is infected with malware. It then blocks that website to prevent accidental visits.

• Anonymous browsing – Hotspot Shield lets you shop online without having to worry about snoopers and hackers getting hold of your sensitive information and monitoring your every move. Using advanced encryption technology, Hotspot Shield provides a safe and secure tunnel for all your information to go through, protecting it from interceptions by hackers and snoopers.

Shopping online? Download Hotspot Shield VPN for online shopping now and enjoy safe and secure sessions today! Visit the Hotspot Shield website to learn more about its benefits, and don’t forget to read our other blogs for more VPN usage tips.