The steady development of technology has seen a substantial amount of growth in the number of tech savvy people. A greater percentage of the population now has access to the internet due to which there has been a constant increase in the number of online transactions. The rise in digital payment has caused a surge in the number of security breaches and cyber thefts since a large number of people are unaware of the precautions required for a safe transaction.
Therefore while making online payments and transactions one should take certain precautions to safeguard your money.
- While using a search engine you must avoid clicking on infected links which open malicious websites and malware instead of opening the website that you were looking for.
- You should type out the URL for the site you want to go to instead of clicking a link. This extra effort will save you from falling prey to a malware.
- Always ensure that the‘s’ padlock symbol signifying security is present in the browser window frame.
- Temporary credit cards which are used for one time purchases can be used for secure online payments. Even if the details are stolen, your money will be safe.
- You can use a separate computer dedicated to only financial transactions. For protection, you can install an antivirus.
- You can create a separate email id for online shopping which reduces the possibility of clicking on a dangerous email disguised as a notification.
- You should strictly keep away from using public WiFi networks or computers for your transactions because hackers can easily break into these networks and sneak into your login credentials.
- Smartphones are more liable to malicious software than computers. Apps carry a lot of malware and you should avoid downloading apps which don’t seem authentic. You should spend some time researching about it and then download it only from an official app store.
- You should use a password manager that encrypts the password and helps you in handling multiple accounts. It also reduces the chances of you using the same password for multiple accounts.
- Never save your personal or bank details on any payment site or browser. Log in every time you want to make a payment, type out your details, make the payment and most importantly remember to log out.
- You should make transactions online on a merchant or business site only if it is trusted and reputed. Very often, the small merchant websites are not very secure and hence your bank and personal details are liable to get stolen. On such sites you can opt for a pay on delivery service.
- If you are someone who is constantly involved in business deals and transactions then the use of Digital Escrow can be a boon to your business. With Digital Escrow, the money involved in the transaction is held by a third party until the terms and agreements mutually decided by the buyer and seller are met.
Although it is imperative for online businesses to provide high level of online payment security to its customers, one should not become too complacent and overlook the above mentioned points.