What To Look Out For, When You’re Buying Stuff Online
It’s important to always be sure that you are buying from a legitimate seller or website, when buying goods online. Here are some steps you can take, and things to look out for, when buying stuff online.
Do You Recognise the Name of the Website?
We all like to help small businesses, but it’s often a bit safer to go with online retailers you know and recognise, such as Amazon, eBay or big high street brands. If you want to buy something from a website you’ve never bought anything from before, it’s also a good idea to do a search for them and see if there are any reviews or reports. Google their name, and you might find other people who’ve used them and been scammed. Also watch for sneaky scammers who might be setting up sites that look like familiar retailers, but are actually sneaky misspellings of familiar names, such as arnazon (‘r n’) rather than amazon.
Look Out for the ‘S’ in ‘HTTPS’ and/or the Padlock Symbol
If a website address has https at the beginning, it means it’s using a special way to communicate, which is a bit more secure. A lot of sites, including Google, have ‘https’ in their URL, and most reputable online retailers will use it, to make sure your shopping is safe. You may also see a padlock symbol just before the web address in the browser. If it isn’t there, think twice about making that purchase – but remember to always double check that the website you’re using is genuine – a fake website could still use ‘https’ to trick you into thinking the site is real.
Regularly Update Your Browser
The makers of web browsers such as Chrome, Safari and Firefox regularly update their software, to make sure that it’s safe and secure. Make sure you have the latest version running on your phone or computer, before you buy anything.
Check Your Statements Regularly
Always make sure to check your bank statement regularly – if you see something that seems a bit off, contact your bank using their fraud helpline.
If you’re using NatWest Rooster Money, and spot a payment you don’t think was you, contact us via the app, or by emailing hello@roostermoney.com – we’re always happy to help.
Remember, your PIN is YOUR secret code for ATMs and in shops, not for online shopping. Never give that information away online. Retailers may ask for the long number written on the card, and the CVV. A lot of card providers write that number on the card itself, but Rooster Money adds an additional layer of security, by letting users generate one-off CVV numbers via the app. Find out more about that here.
A lot of scammers crack users’ security thanks to old, or easy-to-guess passwords. You can beat them, when you’re shopping online, by using a stronger password, with different symbols, letters and numbers, and by changing your password regularly. There’s tools online like password managers that make it easy to use unique passwords across different sites, without having to remember them all off the top of your head.
Simply closing your browser isn’t the same as logging out. In order to be extra safe, make sure you completely log out of a website, before you close your browser.
The Rooster Money App’s Security Features
The Rooster Money app and the Rooster Card* come with enhanced security features, such as dynamic CVV (the three digit security code). This means the CVV changes every time you use it, and can only be accessed on your account.
Parents can get a purchase notification, to keep a track on shopping, and they can freeze and unfreeze cards, if they get lost, or fall into the wrong hands.
*Card for ages 6-17. Parent/guardian must be 18+ and UK resident. £19.99/yr or £1.99/m. Other Fees may apply.T&C’s apply.