Before you type your card details into a website, ensure that the site is secure. Look out for a small padlock symbol in the address bar (or elsewhere in your browser window) and a web address beginning with https:// (the s stands for ‘secure’).
You also need to check that the website is trustworthy. Here are a few suggestions for ways in which you can reduce the risk of using an untrustworthy site:
- Be suspicious of offers that seem too good to be true. This could indicate that a site might be selling illegal or pirated items.
- If you’re not familiar with the website, you could ask trusted friends, colleagues or family members for their opinion. They might be able to offer you recommendations for alternatives.
- You could also do an internet search to see if the site you are investigating is mentioned favorably on sites you already trust.
Read up external resources from BBC on safe online payments
