24 July 2008
With more consumers than ever making their purchases online it is worth considering whether e-retailers are as safe and secure as they could be.
Articles published recently both in the Guardian and the Times suggest even the most legitimate websites may unwittingly pose a virus threat to consumers - but they also provide sound advice for making online shopping fraud-free.
Legitimacy of a Website
Firstly, make sure the site you're planning to purchase from is legitimate - the trend for "pharming" - fake websites replicating well known ones in an attempt to extract financial details is growing. Legitimate sites can also be infected with malware. Security firm Websense found 51% of sites were being infected in this way - Sophos puts the figure as high as 83% for the sites they tested.
Precautions:
Shop Screening
If you haven't used a site before, it's worth checking if they have a customer rating. Price comparison sites such as Kelkoo display store reviews and review other customers' experiences of using a particular online shop.
Precautions:
Sites displaying this logo get the stamp of approval from the e-retail industry body. Make sure when clicking on the logo you are linked to the IMRG site - fraudsters may have uploaded the logo to look more legitimate.
Avoid Hidden Charges
Consumers hate nothing more than getting to the point of sale, to then be informed of extra delivery charges, hidden handling/admin fees or VAT to be applied. These sites are not complying with the rules outlined by the Advertising Standards Agency - avoid them.
The OFT's Consumer Direct website provides guidance on online purchases. Visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/before_you_buy/online for shopping tips and advice on consumer rights when purchases go awry. As online consumers we need to get a little smarter and perhaps a little more discerning when it comes to who we buy from.
Some UK Online Facts:
Articles published recently both in the Guardian and the Times suggest even the most legitimate websites may unwittingly pose a virus threat to consumers - but they also provide sound advice for making online shopping fraud-free.
Legitimacy of a Website
Firstly, make sure the site you're planning to purchase from is legitimate - the trend for "pharming" - fake websites replicating well known ones in an attempt to extract financial details is growing. Legitimate sites can also be infected with malware. Security firm Websense found 51% of sites were being infected in this way - Sophos puts the figure as high as 83% for the sites they tested.
Precautions:
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Download the latest web browser so your PC has the latest web filters installed. | |
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Want to check the site is who they say they are? Download Spoofstick (www.spoofstick.com) - the real site name will be displayed in your browser window. | |
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Get the latest anti virus kit installed - www.grisoft.com, www.siteadvisor.com and www.spywareterminator.com all come recommended. |
Shop Screening
If you haven't used a site before, it's worth checking if they have a customer rating. Price comparison sites such as Kelkoo display store reviews and review other customers' experiences of using a particular online shop.
Precautions:
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Visit www.shopsafe.co.uk. Their site provides a directory of over 3,000 online shops . Sites are graded according to security, delivery, product range and price - only secure sites are listed in the directory. | |
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Look out for IMRG's Internet Shopping Is Safe (ISIS) logo. |
Sites displaying this logo get the stamp of approval from the e-retail industry body. Make sure when clicking on the logo you are linked to the IMRG site - fraudsters may have uploaded the logo to look more legitimate.
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Check a site has an actual address in the UK - a company doesn't need to be located here to have a .uk address - and consumers won't be protected by UK consumer law if they are not based here. | |
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Both Mastercard and Visa offer extra security features for their credit cards. | |
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A secure online shop will display a padlock symbol in the browser window and https://. | |
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Signing up to PayPal or Google Checkout enables the consumers to make purchases without the retailer ever seeing your personal details - but be aware that you won't be protected legally in the same way as making purchases by credit card. |
Avoid Hidden Charges
Consumers hate nothing more than getting to the point of sale, to then be informed of extra delivery charges, hidden handling/admin fees or VAT to be applied. These sites are not complying with the rules outlined by the Advertising Standards Agency - avoid them.
The OFT's Consumer Direct website provides guidance on online purchases. Visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/before_you_buy/online for shopping tips and advice on consumer rights when purchases go awry. As online consumers we need to get a little smarter and perhaps a little more discerning when it comes to who we buy from.
Some UK Online Facts:
| 1. | £55.3 billion was spent online in 2007. | |
| 2. | A YouGov poll in 2006 found that over 17% of users didn't have anti virus software installed on their PCs. | |
| 3. | 1 in 4 consumers don't check if the shop they're planning to buy from is a safe one. | |
| 4. | OFT reported that over half of shoppers they surveyed were unaware that they could cancel their order within 7 days. | |
| 5. | 51% of sites containing malware are legitimate sites. |
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