HYDERABAD: Increased financial stress and an urge to save more during holiday seasons can cause shoppers to be careless while shopping online. They venture into unfamiliar and unsafe websites in search of discounts and better deals, says a report.
The survey done by McAfee among 1,017 citizens in the country found that majority of respondents (70 per cent) agree that the holiday shopping season induces increased financial stress, while more than 50 per cent admit that this pressure can cause them to be careless while shopping online.
The study also found that 72 per cent of the respondents “would purchase the same item from one online retailer over another if the price of the item was significantly cheaper, even if they weren’t confident whether the website was genuine or secure.”
However, in contrast, there are a safe bunch of people who are evolving their buying habits to stay away from shopping frauds. “Nearly 74 per cent of respondents would do their research to make sure it is genuine before they purchase from an unfamiliar website.’’
“Similarly, online shoppers today are well aware of the increased vulnerability of cyber thefts during the festive season, therefore 55% check their bank statements more often during this time,” it added.
So what more can a consumer do to stay safe while shopping online? The report suggested to be wary of public Wi-Fi. “Public Wi-Fi might seem like a good idea, but if consumers are not careful, they could be unknowingly be exposing personal information or credit card details to cybercriminals who are snooping on the network.,” the report said while suggesting people to use virtual private networks (VPN) to keep their connections secure.
Besides the report urged people to “think” before they click on a link. “If the deal seems too good to be true, it is always best to check directly with the source,” it added.