Beware of “ghost” sites – Avoid bank deposit and never store your card details on the site you use
The surge in online commerce during big deals like Black Friday and Cyber Monday calls for extra caution from consumers—especially those who aren’t tech-savvy—as there are many savvy people who might try to target not only the money but also their personal data.
The Open Line for illegal content on the internet of the Hellenic Safe Internet Center of the Technology and Research Foundation, SafeLine.gr recommends special attention to online consumers during this period. In fact, financial frauds, according to a statement, made up 28% of the total complaints received by the Line in 2021. Of those, 40% of complaints were about something that happened on Instagram and 39% about some action on Facebook.
Tips for safe shopping
– From the Hellenic Safe Internet Center of the Technology and Research Foundation, SafeLine.gr is recommended transactions are carried out with companies known to consumers and trust them, while calling on internet users to look at each site with a critical eye.
“Check at the bottom of the website for terms of use, privacy policy, return policy, contact phone number. It is equally important to read the recommendations of other customers in order to form a complete picture of the business,” the announcement reads. In addition, it is recommended to look for the SSL protocol on the website of the selected e-shop, and when the SSL protocol is active, you will see the letters “https” in front of the web address. The “s” stands for “secure”. Look for the locked padlock symbol. The icon should be in the browser window frame. It is green in new versions of browsers.
– Also to prefer payment methods that provide greater security and flexibility such as cash on delivery, debit or credit card and PayPal. Avoid bank deposit.
– Your card details are never stored on the site you use while the credit card account must be checked periodically to determine if there are “wrong” charges.
Read more: Advice – surprise from Jeff Bezos: “Don’t shop on Black Friday, put the money aside”
– Beware of “ghost” sites
As the announcement states “a newer version of online shopping scams involves using social media platforms to create fake online stores. They set up shop for a while, often selling fake designer clothes or jewelry. After a series of sales, the stores disappear. They also use social media to advertise their fake website, so don’t trust a website just because you’ve seen it advertised or shared on social media. The best way to spot a fake merchant or scam through online social media shopping is to look for reviews before you buy.”
Among the things that consumers can follow as instructions is also, according to the Hellenic Safe Internet Center of the Technology and Research Foundation, SafeLine.gr, to trust their instincts, if an offer seems too good to be true, it most likely is that something is wrong.
– Regarding Phishing messages underlined: “Do not click on links or open attachments from e-mails, messengers or SMS messages claiming to be from your bank, a company or other trusted organization and asking you to update or verify your details. Also very common these days are scams through social networking platforms where they invite prospective consumers to click on phishing links.”
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