Safer shopping

There are a number of simple steps you can take to help you make secure payments online and reduce your risk of fraud or identity theft.

Proactive measures such as using secure sites only and avoiding using public computers are just two of the ways you can improve the security of your online financial transactions.

Checking your bank account regularly and being vigilant can also help you quickly identify any suspicious financial transactions.

Before entering any personal financial information online, there are some straightforward ways to check that the site you’re using is secure:

• Look for a small grey or green padlock symbol in the URL field.
• Alternatively, check to see if the website address you’re visiting begins with “https” rather than “http”. This can help keep your browsing safe by securely connecting your browser or app with the websites that you visit.
• Avoid using sites that generate warnings indicating they may be suspicious or unsafe (such as the presence of malware).