People often make the worst mistakes when paying online just out of being reckless and not reading the security section on the sites. But not just because of that; there are so many other ways of getting hacked and losing all your money that you’re not aware of. That is why it is essential to pay attention to these things before you pay online.
Never Use the Same Password for Multiple Sites
When you use the same password for multiple sites, it’s like giving the hacker your keys to your apartment, car and bank account. That is why you should always, and especially in case you’re about to pay online on a site, put a different password than you have on any other site. Usually, if you’ve made a payment, the details of your payment methods are somewhere on the site, so the hacker can access them without a problem. And, if a hacker hacks at least one site you were on, it is super easy for them to enter any site you’re on if the password is the same.
Avoid Using Public Wi-Fi to Shop Online
Public Wi-Fi is the favorite place for hackers. They can easily access it and even create their own bogus network, similar to the one you’re trying to access and make you pay directly on their account. Be particularly careful with that, and avoid paying when you’re on public wi-fi or opt to pay using your cellular data network.
Check the Safety & Security Section of the Site
Before paying on any site, check the Safety & Security section and double-check whether they have a cutting-edge encryption technology. Once you see that it has, you can safely go to the “sign up here” section and follow the security steps like “Register your payment method here” and pay or purchase what you need.
Avoid Saving Payment Information
In addition to checking the Safety & Security section, remember to never save your payment information, ever. By saving it, you give the hackers an easy-breezy access to your card and a free-out-of-jail card, as practically, they haven’t hacked your card directly, but they have hacked the account of the particular site. So many companies experience a data breach, even with the most reliable encryption methods. And you, being part of their site and having saved your information, become the prime victim of the cyber-attack. That’s why you should be extremely careful not to get your data compromised just because it is more convenient to save the payment information than to add it all over again on your next shopping.