We’re here to help you stay safe online while shopping with any retailer
Take some time to research retailers you’ve never heard of. You can use reliable online review companies to check what other customers are saying about them. It should also be easy to find their contact details and physical address.
Read the retailer's privacy and cookies policy, this should be easy to find
An unsecured Wi-Fi connection means you don’t need a password to have access. Some hackers set up their unsecured networks to look genuine, for example, to look like your hotel Wi-Fi. Even though you have a password, you may be joining a fake network. Hackers can then use this to access the information on your device. Always double check the name of the network you’re joining.
Before you pay, it’s a good idea to make sure the site is secure. One way to do this is by looking for the locked padlock symbol in the address bar. Another way is making sure the web address begins with "https://" - the ‘s’ stands for secure and means that the information you send will be encrypted.
Before you confirm payment, double check all the details of your payment, e.g. the cost, how much you’re buying, the delivery address and date
Credit cards usually provide much better consumer protection against things like fraud and non-delivery than debit cards, so if it’s an option to you, use them wherever you can
If you’ve had to log in to your account, you should log out, closing the window doesn’t do this for you. Make sure you’re safe when using a shared computer or device that isn’t yours.
Always keep your receipts and check them against your credit card statements to ensure the right payment has been taken
Read more about how we collect, use, store and protect your personal data
Find out more