How to buy insurance online this Christmas

Online shopping can be risky if you don't know how to tell the difference between a serious platform and a scam. If you do not pay too much attention, you may find yourself without money in your account or with a product that does not match the one you ordered.

The Christmas period is when most online purchases are made, and it is also a period in which fake web portals that advertise products at ridiculous prices multiply only with the aim of attracting potential victims. For this reason, below, you will find several useful tips that will help you shop safely online and protect you from hackers.

Check the credibility or reputation of the store

If you are buying for the first time from a store you did not know, do your research beforehand to make sure it is a legitimate platform. You will only need to do a Google search and you will surely find results about this store, either in forums, blogs or other websites with opinions from other buyers.

Buy from secure websites

Before entering the payment details, make sure that the website is secure. For this, the best way to check if a website is safe is using the Google Safe Browsing tool.

All you have to do is copy http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site= into your browser and add the URL of the web you want to check. Google will give you a half-page report on the security of that address.

Another way to know if a website is safe or not is to see if it has the green padlock symbol and if the URL begins with "https" instead of "http". The "S" refers to "safe".

Opt for alternative payment methods

Instead of entering your credit or debit card details, a more secure form of payment is through PayPal. This system allows users to pay for products and services through PayPal. In this way, the money does not go directly to the website that sells the product, but is transferred to PayPal, and they pay the merchant.

Why is it a safe method? Especially since the merchant cannot access your credit card information. Other methods similar to PayPal are Google Wallet or Amazon Payments.

WiFi networks can be insecure

For online purchases, it is recommended to use the 3G or 4G connection of your own phone without resorting to public WiFi networks. If you decide to use a Wi-Fi network, buy through a secure browser like BitDefender SafePay, to have greater security.

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is

When you see advertising for a product with an exaggerated discount, it is probably a scam. We often get emails with "exclusive" discount coupons. Many times these are simple attempts by hackers to get hold of your financial information. Even on social networks there is often misleading advertising of "free" or very cheap products.

If you are going to create an account in an online store, add a unique password

You will often be asked to create an account so that you can track your orders. In this case, try to put a unique password that you have not previously used.

You must have access to the full terms

Before buying a new product, you can request information about the product's characteristics, shipping costs, and payment methods.

If you have the feeling that a merchant does not provide all the necessary information, do not hesitate for a second and ask for it or look for alternative platforms.

Beware of Chinese online stores

One of the biggest problems of online commerce in China is the sale of very poor quality products. Even in stores like Alibaba there are usually merchants who sell products in worse conditions than what is seen in the photos.

If you are going to buy products from China, read reviews from other buyers about those products or merchants. This way you will avoid unpleasant surprises.

Check the return policies

Most stores should allow you to return defective products or products that do not meet your needs. So before buying a product, make sure you have the possibility to return it if you don't like it.

What to do in case something has gone wrong?

If you believe that your card was used fraudulently, notify your bank to block it. Normally, if the money was taken from you by a hacker, the bank should return the stolen amount if you have not acted negligently when making the purchase.