Social Media Shopping: Is It Safe?

(CTN News) – The social media landscape is constantly evolving. Business accounts that allow businesses to offer shops are one of the biggest recent developments.

The next time you scroll through your feed, you may see something you like and be able to purchase it.

Putting sensitive information online should always be handled with caution. If you use Facebook or Instagram, you may wonder if it’s really safe to put your credit card number in.

Before you shop on social media, you should know some basic things about their payment platforms.

When shopping on social media, avoid giving out too much information

Your payment information is generally protected when shopping on social media. To prevent card numbers from being stolen, social media platforms with their own checkout systems encrypt payment information. Purchase protection policies cover buyers if a merchant does not fulfill an order.

Please keep in mind that those policies only apply if you purchase on the social network. The purchase protection doesn’t apply if you make the purchase through a merchant’s website.

In addition to these protections, you can also take these additional measures to ensure your security:

Links sponsored by our sponsors

These 40 dated décor trends scream ‘senior’

• Online shopping should always be done with a credit card. You can dispute the transaction if the merchant isn’t helpful with your order.

• Make use of a virtual credit card number. There are several popular credit cards that allow you to generate a temporary card number instead of providing your actual card number. You can also use virtual cards online if you don’t have a card that offers this.

Additionally, social media networks sell user data to advertisers. By shopping on social networks, you provide them with more information about your spending and shopping habits.

Use their shopping services if you are concerned about these networks collecting too much information about you.

Beware of fakes and shabby products

There are a few scams that are particularly common on social media shopping platforms.

First, counterfeit products. As you might expect, these are prohibited. In spite of this, social networks do not always succeed in keeping fake items off their shopping platforms.

Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have received numerous complaints about fake goods this year.

Low-quality products are another frequent complaint. So-called boutiques on Instagram, for example, often resell cheap items purchased from Chinese fast fashion brands like Shein.

Customers who are dissatisfied with their purchases have no recourse in these stores, either.
Interest is waived on top credit cards until 2024

This top balance transfer credit card offers 0% intro APR for 21 months if you have credit card debt! In addition, there is no annual fee. To help you get control of your debt, our experts rate this card as a top choice.

In keeping with the Golden Rule, we refrain from reviewing, approving, or endorsing advertisers’ products in advance. Ascent does not cover all market offers. Ascent’s editorial content is created by a different analyst team than that of The Motley Fool.

SEE ALSO:

RLX Technology Call Options (NYSE:RLX) Are Being Purchased In High Volume