How to shop online safely and avoid the problem

It should come as no surprise that online shopping is playing a bigger role this year than ever before. Due to the pandemic situation, the interest in shopping over the Internet increased throughout the year, but in the pre-Christmas period it shoots into the skies every year. Even in normal condition.

Unfortunately, fraudsters, who are ready to pack up and leave their victims clueless, without money and without gifts, also count on it. Therefore, let’s look at a few guaranteed tips on how to shop online and securely and we also remember the most common types of online shopping scamsto be prudent and to be able to better assess the risk.

How to shop online and securely

Online shopping is a simple, fast and convenient way to get the goods you want. It gets used to it extremely easily. Everything is within a few clicks and you don’t have to go anywhere.

But it should not be underestimated. Just because I don’t move from home to safety when shopping doesn’t mean I’m not trapped. Some scams that revolve around online shopping are sophisticated, others are simple and easy to identify. If you adhere to basic principles of safe online shopping, so the risk is minimized.

There is a wide crowd in the online space various frauds. However, those associated with online shopping tend to have a number of common principles. That is what is important. It is practically impossible to know everything about every e-shop or seller, if you know basic types of fraud and in your blood you have the principles of how to shop safely, so you are completely dry.

• When choosing an e-shop, don’t just look at the price. In the end, the cheapest offer may not be the most advantageous.
• Favorite goods at suspiciously low prices should be a warning in which you go into detective mode and start scrutinizing the entire store.
• Be extremely careful with lesser-known e-shops. Ideally, avoid them, but if that doesn’t work, don’t be afraid to ask friends, colleagues or online forums.
• Comparators like Heureka or Pricemania can help you find a good price. In addition, the probability that you will encounter a fraudulent business here is almost zero. As a bonus, you will also find reviews from customers here.
• In the case of fair trade, there must not be the slightest problem with the identification of basic data such as the seller, address, contact details, invoicing data or general business conditions and possibilities of complaint.
• Pay close attention to companies that have their headquarters and contact abroad, especially if it is outside the European Union. Although they may not be fraudulent immediately, there may be a problem with the delivery of goods or a possible complaint.
• Be sure not to go online shopping, especially payment transactions, via public Wi-Fi networks, but rather leave it at home. If you need to use the verified offer as soon as possible, then reach for mobile data.
• If you are not sure about the payment process, choose cash on delivery. It’s a little more expensive, but safer.
• You should protect your device from shopping with a security solution. Also, make sure that the store’s website uses security. The easiest way to do this is to see if the address starts with the formula “https: //” with the lock symbol on the far left.
• Follow the basic principles and use common sense.

You don’t have to rely only on your skills and attention. A security solution can also be helpful to alert you that something is wrong with the site. For example, data security is lacking, there is malware or suspicious advertising on the web, or even a whole page is suspicious. Help yourself and use quality and most importantly always up to date security solution.

What to do if you have been the victim of fraud while shopping online?

Even if you follow all the basics when choosing an e-shop or seller from the bazaar, it can still happen that this eventually turns out to be a scam. So we will briefly remind you how to proceed in case you are shopping online have been the victim of fraud.

There is no doubt that it is very unpleasant. But you must not be discouraged and succumb to passivity. If you become a victim of online fraud, you must go on the offensive and minimize any damage. The specific procedure varies depending on what exactly happened. ESET has processed great manualwhich describes possible situations and offers specific solutions.

Whether you have responded to a fraudulent offer, lost your login details, or are unable to access the goods you paid for, the report provides How to proceed if you have been the victim of fraud when shopping online.

These scams are attacking Slovaks today

We focus primarily on online shopping, but fraudulent campaigns abusing the name of well-known institutions are also closely related to the period of increased shopping volume. In this case, the attackers are trying to lure personal data as well as funds from the victims. They either do this directly or try to smuggle malware into your device.

The most common point of entry for this type of fraud is the e-mail box. A fake e-mail lands in it, which tries to create an impression of authenticity in the unsuspecting victim and force her to take action. He uses various tactics, most often trying to create the impression of urgency – you have to pay for the package immediately, otherwise he will return to the sender, you must make a change in bank settings immediately because you lose your account, and so on.

To avoid phishing e-mail, just follow basic principles. Think about it and ask yourself a series of simple questions, then it should all be clearer.

Is this email expected? Does it make sense to me? Is everything authentic enough? Are there errors in the text? Are there the right images and reasonable formatting? Who is actually the sender? Why does ČSOB write to me when I have Tatra banka? I didn’t order anything, so why should I pay postage for the package? And so on.

The most common scams last year, they revolve around courier services with various unsettled shipments and around banks that suddenly want to cancel your account or adjust the method of logging in. Or they’re sending you one urgent of the payment receivedto be settled.

Urgent payment to be settled

The latter example began to appear to a greater extent around mid-November. The phishing campaign was promptly detected by ESET and a warning was issued to the public.

It is spread in Slovakia via e-mails imitating the official communication of VÚB banka, Tatra banka and Slovenská sporiteľňa. It spreads as a message to ccmw@railway.gov.bd, whose domain resembles a government organization in Bangladesh. The fraudulent e-mail is issued as urgent information about the received payment, which is also characteristic of the subject of the URGENT report: A copy of the notification of the received payment.

The attackers try to lure clients into a trap, which is an attachment resembling a document from the bank. Its name can be, for example, payment_copy_tatra_banka.pdf.exe or payment_copy_vub_bank.pdf.exe. With a double extension ending in .exe or .iso, they abuse the default settings of e-mail clients, which display only the first extension (ie pdf) and assign an icon to the file accordingly.

When you open such a file, it will be downloaded to your device spyvér AgentTesla and it will gradually start sending information to the attackers about everything you do. In addition to your attention, a quality security solution can help you very effectively as protection in this type of attack.

Bazoš as a well of fraud

These days, scams directly related to shopping through the Bazoš.sk advertising platform are also popular. This is the most common variants of relatively well-known scenarios, with the goal of either your money or goods or smuggling malware back into your device.

It usually looks like a fraudster is contacting you about the goods you’re selling. He asks himself as if he has a real interest, which he will confirm after a while. He then says he will pay in advance because he does not live in the same city as you. In the next message, you will receive a link to fictitious payment or delivery services.

The fraudster will claim that he has already sent the payment to the shipping company, but it will not release it until you have proved by post that you have already sent the goods to the buyer, in this case the fraudster. However, if you actually send the goods, you will wait in vain for the money.

Many of these attacks are also taking place in Slovak. However, by word order, grammar levels and various errors, attackers appear to be using online translation tools from another language. There are also versions where the fraudster communicates directly in English and tries to convince you that he has already paid for the goods. It also sends various screenshots with a fictitious conversion. You wouldn’t see the money again.

Therefore, observe principles of safe shopping and be extremely careful when communicating with strangers. Take a good look at what lines you are going to open, think about the procedure and avoid unknown payment and delivery services.

Updated security software will protect you against malware, spyware and other blasphemy. For example, such a pair ESET Internet Security a ESET Smart Security premium It also has a specialized Online Payment Protection feature that protects online payments through a specially secured browser.

Show that you can shop safely and win great prizes

ESET security company has long been dedicated to raising awareness of the most common pitfalls of today’s digital age. To this end, it has launched a specialized educational portal www.bezpecnenanete.skwhere you will find a wide range of topics. Among other things, it deals with the pitfalls associated with online shopping.

ESET in cooperation with the MôjAndroid.sk portal has currently launched a contest, in which you only need to demonstrate that you know the three questions how to shop online and securely and internet fraudsters are short on you. You can win attractive prizes for your answers.

Ready is a great Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G and licensed security solution ESET Smart Security Premium and ESET Mobile Security to take your protection to a whole new level. Do not hesitate and show that you will not become an easy victim!