Are you a safe online shopper?

Complete this quiz adapted from www.moneymanagement.org to find out if you know what it is to shop safely online. Mark a or b and see which is best below.

1. Do you shop around for websites that have the best deals or do you keep to sites that you know and trust?
a. I shop around for the best deal
b. I only buy from websites that I know well

2. When shopping online, which form of payment do you use?
a. Credit card
b. Debit card

3. A spoofed email appears to be from a trusted source that attempts to obtain personal information such as ID numbers, credit card information, usernames and passwords. What is the name of this cybercrime?
a. Baiting
b. Phishing

 

4. If you are shopping online and your Web browser displays “https” in the URL and a closed padlock symbol, you know for sure that the website you are on is legitimate and it is completely safe to shop there.
a. True
b. False

5. Do you ever shop online from free, public Wi-Fi hotspots or Internet cafés?
a. No, never
b. Yes, sometimes

6. When filling out a vendor form to complete an online transaction, how much information do you typically provide?
a. I provide only the information required after checking the website’s privacy policy to see how my information will be used
b. I fill in the required information plus some fields that are not required

7. Many websites will ask you to create an account with it in order to make a purchase. When you create a new account online, what type of password do you normally associate with the account?
a. I use a similar password for all of my accounts that is easy to remember
b. My password is usually complex and contains a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols

 

Safest answers

1. Safest choice: b
The safest way to shop online is with retailers that you know and trust. While some sites that offer good deals are legitimate, others are scams. If you choose to shop with an online retailer that you do not know well, make sure its contact information is valid, the site is secure and you understand the purchase, shipping and return policies.

2. Safest choice: a
Paying with a credit card is the safest choice when shopping online. Check your credit card statements carefully, especially after making an online purchase.

3. Correct choice: b
Some phishing emails are easy to spot because they are laced with misspellings, sent from a weird email address, or filled with outlandish requests. The phishing emails that are harder to spot appear to be sent from online retailers, banks, or social networking sites that you already have a relationship with. Remember to check your email carefully for signs of a phishing scam. Links to odd URLs, slightly “off” company logos or email templates, use of scare tactics or requests that create a sense of urgency in you to share information that should not be disclosed via email (like financial information) are signs that the email is not to be trusted.

4. Safest choice: b
While the padlock and “s” (standing for “secure”) added to “http” are generally signs that a site is secure, they are not absolute indicators. Some scam websites have been certified to use the “https” before and hackers are getting better at making sites look more legitimate by adding the closed padlock. Before purchasing anything on a website, it is a smart idea to open a new browser window and directly type in the trusted website’s URL instead of clicking on a link or advertisement to get there.

5. Safest choice: a
Sending sensitive information over public wireless networks can put you at risk for identity theft or credit card fraud by exposing your information to hackers. It’s best to do your shopping from a secure location.

6. Safest choice: a
Remember, you don’t have to give more information than necessary to complete your online transaction. You should check the website’s privacy policy to understand how the information you do give will be used.

7. Safest choice: b
Complex passwords that utilise a combination of letters, numbers, symbols and upper and lower case are the hardest to crack.

 

Sources
www.moneymanagement.org