Customers who shop online may confront many sorts of fraud. To be safe, here are some effective techniques that can assist assure a secure shopping experience:

• Shop only from official and trusted websites
  Before making a purchase, ensure that the website is legitimate and well-known. It is best to shop solely on certified and reliable e-commerce platforms. This helps to protect your financial and personal information.

• Check the website URL and SSL security (https://)
  When accessing a website, ensure that the URL starts with “https://”. This means that the website is SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protected, which safeguards your financial and personal information. If the URL begins with “http://”, it is probably not safe.

• Check customer reviews and ratings
  Before making a purchase, you should read customer reviews and ratings.  This provides you with an indication of the seller’s dependability and product quality.  If a seller has a lot of negative feedback, it’s ideal to avoid making a purchase.

• Use Cash on Delivery (COD) or safe payment gateways
  Cash on Delivery (COD) can be a safer payment method because you only pay after you receive the merchandise. It is also critical to use secure payment gateways (such as PayPal or UPI), which are legitimate and protect your financial transactions.

• Don’t fall for excessive discounts
  If a website or merchant offers 50%, 70%, or even higher discounts, it may be unwise to trust them. Such big discounts may indicate a bogus website. Always check and verify whether expensive things are being sold at unusually low prices.

• Read the Terms and Conditions
  Reading the terms and conditions on e-commerce websites is quite important. Before making a purchase, ensure that you understand the seller’s sales terms, delivery procedures, return policies, and other important facts. This helps to prevent being deceived or falling victim to scams.

• Beware of spam and phishing emails
  Phishing emails and spam messages are frequent tactics for misleading customers. These messages may contain links that attempt to steal your credit card information, bank account information, or login credentials. Avoid responding to such emails, and never click on any suspicious links.