Archives - Online Shopping


Understand ‘dark patterns’ when you see them

A dark pattern refers to deliberate design choices, typically in apps and websites, that try to steer your behavior in a certain direction. A common instance is having to click a bunch of buttons to try to close an account, only to find you actually have to call someone. Needing to deselect a huge list […]

Divvy up your online presence by compartmentalizing accounts

Don’t use the same email address to sign up for multiple accounts. If that email is compromised, so are all the accounts connected to it. Assign a different email address with a unique password to every type of action you take on the internet (i.e. social media, work, e-commerce, etc.)

A good secure way to pay online

Credit cards are one the safest ways to make online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them entirely […]

Erase your Amazon browsing history to protect your privacy

Amazon keeps a detailed record of everything you search, shop and save on their marketplace. As a result, you likely see suggestions for similar products all over their website. If this makes you uncomfortable, you can erase your browsing history from your Amazon profile.

Try using a prepaid card when shopping online

Having your payment card details stolen can be a traumatic experience, especially if the card in question was a debit card tied to a bank account. Prepaid cards offer a safer alternative. You can just load a small amount onto them each time you need to make a purchase. If the card is compromised, there’s […]

Sign up for email alerts to quickly verify your online transactions

If available, sign up to receive an alert whenever your cards make a transaction. If you ever receive a suspicious alert, you’ll be the first to know. This way you can quickly contact your bank or credit card company to alert them of the fraud on your account and prevent any further damages.