Children seem to be natural magnets to technology. No matter how complicated it is, they always seem to be a step ahead of parents, and the older they get the more independence they need and want to use technology.
So, it will come as no surprise that as much as your children may want to go shopping with their friends, they’ll probably want to shop online, too. And if they aren’t old enough to have their own debit card, they may ask to use your cards online (with your permission, of course!).
Buying and selling online is just as safe as ordering goods over the phone, but you should make your child aware that dishonest people may try to convince them to give them their money and personal details, and how they can spot the online fraudsters..
Top tips for online safety
Before buying – before buying anything online, make a note of the address of the company – this should include details of the telephone and/or fax – never rely on just an email address.
Always use secure sites – these sites have ‘https’ in front of the web address which indicates that the company has been independently checked to make sure they are who they say they are. Show your child the yellow padlock symbol in the browser window, which shows that the payment process is secure.
Never transfer or receive money for someone else – if your child says they want to do this, find out who it is. If it’s a friend or relative, suggest they use a service like Paypal, which has extra security measures and some protection.
Check the site’s privacy and returns policy – it’s better to be safe than sorry! If the website doesn’t have a returns policy or privacy policy then how secure are your payment details going to be?
Keep a print out of all orders and any acknowledgement emails – at the very least it will show you what your child has spent, and on what! And, of course, this will act as your proof of purchase should anything go wrong. You can use this to check against your bank statement to make sure your account is not being tapped into without your permission.
Keep your passwords secure – it’s important that your child understands the sensitivity of passwords, and that fact that they must not be given out or saved online etc. as a general rule, for anything relating to money, teach your children not to accept the password reminders that come up when you register or log in to sites, just in case the laptop or PC gets hacked into, is lost or stolen.
Don’t reply to emails regarding money – Criminals may try to get credit card details by sending emails that appear to be from a bank or credit card company, and even online merchants like Paypal. They encourage you to enter your credit card details or password on a fake website. Fraudsters can use personal details to request a new card, or even make a credit card application in your name. It’s important that you explain this to your child so that they don’t innocently reply or click links and then enter your card details, thinking that they are doing the right thing.
Remember, you have the same rights buying online as over the phone or by mail order.
