Bahrain shoppers warned to verify online companies before providing bank details

TDT | Manama                 

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com 

Report by Zahra Ayaz

Cyber security experts have warned shoppers to be cautious against online fraud amid the growing popularity of virtual purchasing.

These days virtual shopping has become a part of people’s lives, but some still worry about their credit card details ending up in the wrong hands.

An information technology expert, who likes not to disclose his identity, told The Daily Tribune, “Shopping online may be better for many reasons.”

“You don’t have to go out to find what you want, and you can avoid traffic, compare prices easily and get better discounts.

However, all this comes with risks. “We are familiar with phishing emails and the dangers of transacting on unsecured sites and using public computers or shared Wi-Fi connections.

People save bank details, financial statements, salary records and passwords in primary mail accounts.

So, it is risky to use these accounts for shopping. “Cash on delivery and net banking are the safest ways to transact online.

“If these options are not present, better go for a virtual credit card. It is an add-on ‘card’ issued on your primary credit card. All relevant details are available only online. It will be valid for a few months, and you can set a credit limit of your choice.”

Mohammad Aziz, a regular shopper, told The Daily Tribune, “There are online companies whose brand name is recognisable, such as Amazon.

Additionally, many real-life stores now include an online retailing arm as part of their retail services.

“It is critical to establish the identity of lesser-known online companies that do not have instant recognition or external store status.

“Look for the name, company registration details, contact details that include an email, postal address and telephone number and a clear indication of where the headquarters is based.

“Reputation can be checked via searchers of the internet for comments from others on consumer review sites as many reputable online companies allow people to rate their service and products on the site.”

Earlier, Yaqoob Al Awadhi, a Cyber security specialist, had told Tribune: “While the Central Bank of Bahrain, as well as bank and financial institutions, adhere to the highest international standards in terms of protecting users’ data, no one can safeguard a user who deliberately reveals personal information to hackers.

Mr Al Awadhi had recommended replacing the ATM card with a credit card for any online transactions owing to the difficulties of retrieving the debited amounts if the purchase procedure is not completed for any reason.

“Verifying the store data and tax number, as well as ensuring that the lock icon found on the left of the browser’s address bar, are all ways to validate the online store’s reliability and security.”