Online shopping has become more popular than ever in Kenya. There has been a significant rise in online shopping as of 2020 with the pandemic looming. I love it because it is convenient, there are multiple bargains to choose from and it’s secure and fast. Not to mention the return policies depending on the seller. However, shopping online has its precautions so here are online shopping safety tips to use in Kenya so that you don’t become a victim.

There have been many users online who fell for ‘deals’ or ‘bargains’ online advertised on shopping sites. They either don’t receive their package, receive a random item or the item posted was not what it looked like in person.

Stay away from online shopping 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/VcGP4CwGja

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— Kimathi, Inc. (@KimathiInc) March 28, 2022

These sorts of scams really demoralize a person from online shopping. So here is what you need to do to not fall victim!

• Shop on reputable sites

It’s highly recommended to shop using trusted shopping sites like Jumia, eBay or AliExpress. If you know the site, chances are it’s less likely to get ripped off. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t sellers within the site who can scam you. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE! Ensure before purchasing an item, check the rating of the seller. A seller with numerous positive reviews is one to purchase from compared to one with no rating or several negative reviews.

• Only trust encrypted sites

Not all shopping sites offer the ideal environment for safe online shopping. It’s important to shop on encrypted websites and use a secure WiFi network. To know if the site is encrypted, look for the lock icon on the URL bar. The WiFi should also have a lock icon beside it to show it’s encrypted. This is the best way to ensure that your personal information is being transferred in the safest way possible.

• Create strong and unique passwords for your accounts

As tempting as it could be, having the same password for multiple accounts seems easy, since it’s easy to remember. If the passwords are the same, it is easy for a hacker to access your personal information from the sites. This could potentially cause lots of issues like identity theft or even having money stolen from you.

•  Be wary of bargains

Everyone loves a good bargain, but there are those that seem too good to be true. Be aware of products that are priced significantly lower than it actually is. That is a great red flag. Low prices are very enticing, but if it seems too good to be true, it actually is.

• Keep an eye out for email scams

You might receive emails offering amazing bargains and opting for you to click on the link to purchase an item. Before clicking any link, ensure the message is from a trusted sender. If the email is unfamiliar, delete the suspicious messages. Clicking on the link or attachment could infect your device and other malware.