Online shopping scams spike ahead of Diwali: Here’s how to stay safe

New Delhi: Following the Diwali deals, the online shopping season really takes off. However, be on the lookout for online purchasing con artists! Amazon, Flipkart, ShopClues, and other ecommerce sites provide some fantastic prospects, but customers frequently wind up in the wrong place. 

Many websites have announced substantial price cuts as well as freebies on everything from mobile phones, TVs, computers, wearables, furniture, home appliances, clothing, and everything else. While these offers are fantastic, bank account holders who purchase online must be extremely cautious about where they log in and how they make payments, or their money will be stolen by fraudsters.

Those who are unaware are easily tricked by cybercriminals through online shopping scams, and as a result, they lose a significant amount of money.

However, if customers are cautious about what they do online, they will have a positive experience and will be able to shop until they drop, figuratively speaking. Here's how to avoid losing money while shopping online.

Here's how to stay safe while doing online shopping:

During the Diwali discounts, buyers should be wary of internet purchasing scams. To avoid being scammed while shopping online, follow these top ten tips.

1. Always shop on the internet when the URL begins with https:// (the's' stands for secure).

2. Hover your cursor over the lock icon in the URL to see the security level.

3. Always shop on known websites like Amazon, Flipkart, ShopClues, Pepperfry, and others.

4. Your anti-virus and firewall software must be current.

5. Anyone who requests your confidential information should be ignored.

6. Never install apps that are advised by strangers.

7. Never trust a link supplied to you by someone you don't know.

8. Change your account password on a regular basis.

9. Do not share your private financial information on WhatsApp or Facebook, even with family members.

10. If an offer appears to be too good to be true, it most likely is. Avoid it at all costs. Finally, keep in mind that there is no such thing as a free lunch while purchasing online.