Is online shopping safe in UAE?

The phenomenon of online shopping has spread in recent years like wildfire, especially after the emergence of the global pandemic of Corona, which forced people to make this safe decision for their lives, but unfortunately we still find some people doubting the effectiveness or guarantee of this method due to the unsuccessful experiences of some shoppers.

Is online shopping really unsafe? Or is it an exaggeration and we can overcome it by taking some steps that avoid the bad effects or errors in the online shopping process?

In fact, the online shopping process is very safe and easy for everyone, otherwise the number of shoppers would not be increasing every day, where you can find thousands of shopping websites that offer millions of types of products with excellent quality, fantastic prices and unparalleled services anywhere else, but beware of Annoying frauds perpetrated by suspicious shopping sites

What are the steps and tips for safe online shopping in UAE?

Shop from safe and popular UAE websites

The spread of online shopping has prevailed in most parts of the world due to its wonderful features and the convenience that it brings to online shoppers. They can simply order their products to their homes or where they are by shopping from electronic stores that provide various services, but things do not always go as planned, as shoppers sometimes make mistakes in choosing websites Shopping that loses one or all of these important elements such as the quality of products, delivery services, the availability of secured payment methods and others, which makes them more vulnerable to theft or electronic extortion.
That is why it is important to think carefully before choosing shopping websites, as it is recommended to buy from websites that are widely known and trusted, whether locally or globally.

Ensure that the encryption code "HTTPS" is present

Stay away from shopping for websites that do not have an SSL encryption code that protects your device and your payment card from any hacks or theft, as you can find out whether the website contains the encryption code or not by looking at the page link "URL" The site link should start with "HTTPS" instead of "HTTP", as well as the green padlock on the left side of the site link or in the status bar at the bottom.
It is worth noting here that this feature does not appear in all online shopping websites, but there is no need to worry, as Google Chrome browser puts the mark “not secure” on any website that does not have this method of encrypting information.

Do not share any private information

Never provide online shopping websites with your personal information that is not linked in any way to the website's services, as this will avoid the looting and fraud carried out by some shopping websites that aim to exploit shoppers and invade their privacy.
Usually, trusted shopping websites ask for information related to the shipping and delivery process or payment cards, but otherwise, it is considered a clear violation of the rights of the user.

Choose a difficult password

When registering with online shopping websites, be sure to set a difficult password that contains various letters, numbers and symbols so that it is difficult to hack your account, and be sure to change it periodically to provide additional protection.
Many shoppers have faced the problem of hacking their accounts, especially when setting a password that is easy or similar to the passwords used in email or other accounts.

Check your bank account frequently

In the beginning, it should be noted not to activate any payment card on shopping websites unless after verifying the previous steps to provide the necessary protection for your account, as online shopping sites offer different payment methods such as credit cards, debit cards, etc. whose activation requires entering all the data of these cards in detail, which may expose Your bank account is compromised or stolen.
That is why we recommend shoppers to follow up their balances and check their bank accounts periodically or monthly through the electronic statement of the card accounts, and in the event of any problem, they should go immediately to review the banks and follow the necessary procedures.

Use the best antivirus software in UAE

Don’t wait for misfortune to happen and you don’t know where the way out, shady online shopping websites are filled with viruses that will seriously damage your account if you make any wrong click, so download antivirus software that will protect your various accounts from all malware, spyware and fraud attacks that are trying to steal Your personal information and hack your device.
Also, you should always make sure to update your antivirus software regularly, and the operating system and operating system of your smart devices to make it difficult for any penetration attempt.

Avoid buying when using external Wi-Fi networks

It is never recommended to use external networks to conduct any online shopping operations, and it is preferable to use the Internet from mobile phones, but if there is an urgent need to use the external Wi-Fi network, you must make sure to use the Wi-Fi networks provided by well-known cafes and restaurants by asking them about the name of the network or Choose networks that have a lock icon next to the network name or the word “secure” that appears on smart mobile devices.

Use cash on delivery or prepaid cards with unsecured websites

If you have tried a shopping website for the first time and do not want to risk money or a payment card for fear of being robbed or fraudulent, you can simply use the cash on delivery service or prepaid cards for the advantages provided by each feature according to the following explanation:

Advantages of cash on delivery from unsecured websites

The ability to purchase all products without using your bank information, in addition to the ability to ensure the quality of the products or services provided before payment, which creates a greater opportunity to return the products and refund the amount in the event of dissatisfaction with the product.

Advantages of paying with prepaid cards from unsecured websites

The idea of ​​these cards is to deposit a specific amount of money without linking them with bank accounts, and they can be used to pay your purchases from unsecured websites in particular, since in the event of any fraud, there will be no risk to your bank accounts. You can contact the most famous banks in {} to inquire about the possibility of issuing one of these cards.

Be careful when clicking on ads

Some fraud websites anticipate online shoppers in their window by showing classified and random ads under the name of your favorite online shopping website, you must realize that such websites copy the original site with a small change in the name that is not noticeable, as once you click on the advertisement will allow malware From attacking your device and stealing your private information.

Don't shop according to the picture

Although famous shopping websites are distinguished by the accuracy of the quality of their product images, this does not prevent the lack of credibility or misunderstanding in online purchases. Unreliable on selling products completely different from those in the pictures.
Therefore, you must be careful to read the specifications of each product and be careful to see the reviews and opinions of previous buyers, compare the advantages and disadvantages, and then make a shopping decision.

Watch the shipment tracking information carefully

Professional and reliable shopping websites provide the best services that make it easier for online shoppers to purchase and enhance their experiences, as the shipping tracking service is one of the most important and finest of these services that reflect the efficiency and credibility of the site in dealing with its customers, but you should always be careful because there are many fraudsters sending text messages It states that your purchases/orders are ready and they ask you to log in to arrange their delivery which makes you share your personal information and passwords which will make you prey to hackers.

Not all that glitters is gold

It is wrong to judge the quality and credibility of the website from the pictures or the multiplicity of the announced services only, as some shopping websites, especially the new ones, display their products in flimsy and unrealistic pictures, in addition to providing imaginary and not real details and services, so do not try to shop from these sites because you are undoubtedly You will be an easy victim no matter how much they try to offer their products at low prices.

Avoid fake emails and links

Some suspicious websites send e-mails or fake links with the names of international stores, for example, or fake people to lure shoppers to open them and hack their information without them realizing, as this type of hack is very common on social networking sites as well.
On this basis, I found many tools that help shoppers detect suspicious links or emails.
You can also identify this method on your own through a set of factors, most notably receiving any email from a store you did not register with, spelling errors, requesting personal information, threatening address or anything abnormal.

Avoid sharing personal information

You may notice that this point is repeated a lot when you read this news, due to its great importance in protecting shoppers from intrusions or cases of theft and exploitation, as fraudulent shopping websites attract shoppers by using malicious and devious methods by requesting this information to put you in the trap and withdraw all their information banking and others.
So you should be careful when choosing shopping websites and avoid sharing any personal information other than that related to the shipping or payment process.

Search for the website on Google

We will divide this step into two parts. The first is that if the website address is not 100% correct, search for it through Google, which will prevent you from entering any suspicious websites created by some hackers to analyze you, and because you will not realize this until after the time is up.
As for the second point, when searching for a shopping website via Google, we hope that you avoid reading the correct name of the website in addition to avoiding flimsy ads to stay safe.