Online shopping is a wonderful convenience, from ordering gifts for grandkids, to getting groceries or essentials delivered straight to your door. But shopping online also comes with risks. Cyber criminals often use online stores to try to steal personal or financial information. That’s why it’s wise to take a few simple precautions before you click “Buy”.

Every year, late November brings two big shopping events that started in the United States: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Fake online stores, unbelievable discounts, and dodgy payment links often appear during this period, and all are designed to trick you into handing over money or personal information. The good news? A few simple checks can help you spot a scam before it spots you.

In these modern times, online shopping and banking are part of everyday life. We shop for groceries, clothing and goods online. We pay our bills online. We conduct our banking online. But not every website is what it seems. Scammers build fake shops that look real — complete with professional logos and “limited-time” deals. You might think you’re buying a gift, but what you’re really doing is handing over your credit card to a stranger.

Most people don’t realise they’ve been infected. It's common for some malware to lie dormant on your computer, while it looks for ways to spread itself to other computers in your home or workplace, and looks for ways to spread to your friends, family and work colleagues via various messenger services.