How to stay safe 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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. Fees and T&Cs apply. Spend and top up limits apply.

Even when you’re not shopping fraudsters will still try to get you, sometimes via dodgy texts and emails. They might pretend to be a courier company asking for an additional delivery charge, the police warning you about a crime, a streaming service saying they’ve got a problem with your payments, or a crazy online retailer desperate to give away an iPad or loads of Robux. If you get one of these messages, remember to think before you respond or click any links.

Just think for a moment: do companies regularly give away great goodies? Do the police really contact kids via texts or email? A little bit of healthy suspicion might save you a lot of money.

Even by visiting some dodgy websites, you can compromise your safety. Again, if it looks suspicious, don’t use it, and tell your parents. If you really think a retailer or other business might be getting in touch, you can always check for their contact details online and reach out to them yourself.

Fraudsters will sometimes try to get your financial information via texts. They might pretend to be a courier company asking for an additional delivery charge, or a crazy online retailer

In the UK, Fraud Action reports cases of parents being targeted with text messages that appear to be written by their children. In these instances, the fake texts might say the child had been in an accident, has lost their phone, or needs more urgently to pay for something.

If you get a message asking for money urgently, always take the time to check on the request using a telephone number you know and trust.

In the UK you can forward suspicious texts to the authorities on 7726, or email report@phishing.gov.uk. If you’re ever worried that you have lost money to a scam, contact your bank as soon as possible.

Criminals are experts at impersonating trusted organisations such as banks, the police, and government departments like HMRC, to convince you to make payments or share personal and financial details. They may try to urge you into sharing the information by pressuring you to take immediate action.

They may already have some of your details, such as your name, which they might try to use to add some authenticity to the scam. If you receive an urgent request for your money or information – stop and take a moment to think.

A search engine search for things like “cryptocurrency” or “bonds” can result in advertisements or website results claiming to be from investment firms offering guaranteed returns with minimal risk. These websites may ask you to complete a “Contact Form” with your details for a call back to be arranged. Criminals may use the names, logos, and addresses of genuine investment firms to set up fake websites, to convince you that it is the firm’s website. You should always be cautious of these websites, and make sure you conduct thorough research before continuing.

Additionally, you may see investment opportunities advertised on social media – these may seem genuine, using celebrity endorsements or testimonials from people who have allegedly received large sums of money, but the reality is that these are scams.

Check the FCA’s Scam Smart register to see if an investment company is legitimate. If they’re not on there, they’re probably a scammer.

When shopping online, you may see an advertisement for a product or service at “too good to be true” prices, often via social media or auction sites. Criminals often use images from genuine sellers to convince you that what they are selling is the real deal – when in fact, what they are ‘selling’ doesn’t exist. Therefore you should always ensure you are buying your items from established sellers and make sure you pay using a debit or credit card rather than a bank transfer.

Courier fraudsters will try to call you, either on your mobile or home phone. If the caller claims to be from the bank, they might claim that their system has spotted a fraudulent payment on your card, or that it is due to expire and needs to be replaced. If they claim to be from the police, they could claim that someone has used your card illegally, and they need it for an investigation. In order to lend authenticity to the fraud, they might confirm some easily obtainable details about you such as your full name and address.

From here, the fraudster will offer peace of mind by offering to have someone such as a courier collect your card to save you from having to go to your bank or local police station, and claim that all you need to do is write down your pin and place it in a separate envelope. The scammers will then be able to use your card for purchases fraudulently .

Doorstep criminals can impersonate a range of professions – from salesmen to tradespeople. They can be very convincing, and claim to have noticed something about your property that needs improvement, and offer to fix it for an inflated price and payment upfront.

Be extremely wary of people offering these services – only speak to those you have pre-arranged to visit your property.

If you think a bad retailer has ripped you off online, and the merchant is not responding, we may be able to help, via a chargeback. You can find out more here.