There are far more people buying products online now as it has become easier and more enjoyable. Some online shoppers spend hours browsing for a bargain and love the fact that the order will often be delivered the next day. It is vital however when carrying out online purchases that you take precautions to make sure that your details and payment methods are secure to prevent fraud.

Only buying from genuine websites is one way to protect yourself online. Search for the website to check that it is legitimate and look at reviews from customers remembering to look elsewhere if in any doubt.

Some antivirus software has a built-in website checker which will indicate whether a website is safe and secure giving you confidence when shopping online. When you are ready to checkout, look carefully at the address bar at the top of the screen to make sure it has https instead of http. This along with a lock symbol shows that it is a secure page however some hackers are able to get around this so do not rely on this alone.

When you are ready to complete your order and pay for your goods it is a good idea to use PayPal as this gives the buyer additional protection from fraud.