With online shopping being such a popular option these days, Jelf asked for advice from C6 Intelligence, experts in cyber security and all round good guys when it comes to finding out what information is available to criminals on the dark web.
What is the dark web?
Like an iceberg, the dangerous piece of the internet is hidden from view, traditional search engines, google, Safari etc only pick up content from around 4% of the internet, to access anything else you need passwords or special technology known as TOR, this is known as the Dark Web. Governments, law enforcement agencies and internet experts believe that serious criminality happens in this area of the Web. If you know where to look you can buy drugs, high explosives or even order a hitman.
Are their any trends or spikes you are seeing in online criminal activity at the moment?
Corporate hacks are on the increase, Ashley Madison, Experian and Talk Talk are three companies who have lost millions of personal records recently including in some cases Credit Cards, Bank Account numbers and even secret answers, all of this data eventually ends up on the Dark Web for sale, this time last year C6 was acquiring around 20,000 records a day to add to the website www.hasmyidentitybeenstolen.com a free website to check if your personal details have been compromised, today that number is nearer 300,000 records a day.
C6 Intelligence has also provided some helpful hints to make your online buying more secure. Here are our twelve tips on safe shopping:
#1 Be suspicious of offers that seem too good to be true. This could indicate that a site might be selling illegal or pirated items.
#2 Check out sellers. Conduct independent research before you buy from a seller you have never done business with. Some attackers try to trick you by creating malicious websites that appear legitimate, so you should verify the site before supplying any information. Locate and note phone numbers and physical addresses of vendors in case there is a problem with your transaction or your bill. Search for merchant reviews.
#3 Use safe payment options. Credit cards are generally the safest option because they allow buyers to seek a credit from the issuer if the product isn’t delivered or isn’t what was ordered. Also, unlike debit cards, credit cards may have a limit on the monetary amount you will be responsible for paying if your information is stolen and used by someone else. Never send cash through the mail or use a money-wiring service because you’ll have no recourse if something goes wrong. Don’t forget to review return policies. You want a no-hassle ability to return items.
#4 Be wary of emails requesting information: Attackers may attempt to gather information by sending emails requesting that you confirm purchase or account information. Legitimate businesses will not solicit this type of information through email. Contact the merchant directly if you are alerted to a problem. Use contact information found on your account statement, not in the email.
#5 When in doubt, throw it out: Links in email, tweets, posts, and online advertising are often the way cyber criminals compromise your computer. If it looks suspicious, even if you know the source, it’s best to delete or if appropriate, mark as junk email.
#6 Trust your instincts. If you don’t feel comfortable buying or bidding on an item over the web, or if you feel pressured to place your order immediately, maybe you shouldn’t.
#7 Get savvy about Wi-Fi hotspots: Limit the type of business you conduct and adjust the security settings on your device to limit who can access your machine.
#8 Unique account, unique password: Separate passwords for every account helps thwart cyber-criminals.
#9 Print the terms. You should print out and date a copy of terms, conditions, warranties, item description, company information, even confirming e-mails, and save them with your records of your purchase.
#10 Find and read the privacy policy. Read the privacy policy carefully to find out what information the seller is gathering from you, how the information will be used, and how you can stop the process. If a site does not have a privacy policy posted, you may not want to do business with it. If it does have a privacy policy, there will probably be a link to it from the seller’s home page, or it could be included with the Legal Terms.
#11 Double check pricing. Be suspicious of prices that are too good to be true. Also consider carefully whether you may be paying too much for an item, particularly if you’re bidding through an auction site. You may want to comparison shop, online or offline, before you buy. Make sure there are no extra shipping or handling costs.
#12 Inspect your purchase. Look at your purchase carefully as soon as you receive it. Contact the seller as soon as possible if you discover a problem with it. Tell the seller in writing about any problems you have, ask for a repair or refund, and keep a copy of your correspondence. See Legal Terms.
There’s no reason not to shop on the web, but there are 12 ways to safely pay for it.
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