Online shopping saves us time.
But are you a safe and savvy online shopper?
A lot of people don’t know this, but the American Association of Retired Persons, better known as AARP, monitors fraud and provides people with prevention resources.
AARP published a quiz that was intended for the holiday shopping season.
But while that’s about six months out, with busy summer plans online shopping is quick and simple, so NBC CT Responds wants you to polish up on your skills now and think before you click.
These are all true or false questions.
True or false:
First up, peer-to-peer payment (P2P) apps like Cash App, Zelle or Venmo, have the same consumer protections as your credit card. The answer is false.
The apps are only intended to be used to transfer money between people you personally know, like family, friends, the babysitter, or the lawn service.
Credit cards are the safest way to make purchases online.
Next up, when searching online for customer support, the first customer service phone number that appears on your search results will connect you with a legitimate person from that company. False.
NBC CT Responds has done a story on this.
If you do a quick Google search to find a phone number to call a specific company, beware of an ad that might come up in the results.
Fraudsters can buy the ads that first pop up in a search engine under the pretense of another company.
While it’s discouraged, it happens all the time, so check to see if there is an “ad” emblem online before you click on it.
Or better yet, go to the company’s website first and find the phone number from there.
AARP suggests looking at your billing or credit card statement to find legit numbers.
Number three, true or false: It’s safe to pay for a vacation rental found on apps like Airbnb or Vrbo outside of the app; for example, sending money with a P2P app instead. False.
According to AARP, a request for payment outside the app is a clear sign of fraud.
Question number four: Regularly updating software on your devices like your cell phone provides protection against fraud. True.
Software updates often patch security issues, protecting you from potential problems.
For more true or false questions to test your skills, click here and scroll to the bottom of the article.
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