B ulletproof ways to shop online without becoming a fraud victim In today's world, we can order almost

anything online. Traditionally, shopping has been associated with long, dragging lines, parking issues, and
driving from store to store in search of what we need, but not anymore.Internet shopping refers to the act
or activity of purchasing products or services through the Internet Market Business News (2019).The
process involves browsing through a seller’s website, selecting something, and arranging delivery. These
online purchases normally require the information of a credit or debit card. Online shopping allows
people to shop at their own convenience. According to internet blogger Clever C. (2020)Ecommerce is
growing 3x faster than traditional retail. Overall, 51% of consumers prefer to shop online, while 49%
would rather go to a store. Even though it might seem like the answer to many people's prayers, online
shopping has become riskier in comparison to traditional shopping. This is due to the possibility of
becoming a victim of fraud. As of January 2021, there were 4.66billion active internet users worldwide -
59.5 percent of the population. Of this total, 92.6 percent(4.32 billion) accessed the internet via mobile
devices Johnson J. (2021). Cybercrime is on the rise with over half of the world’s population being active
online. Online shopping fraud is one of these cyber-crimes, this is when a person or organization deceives
someone through purchases conducted over the internet or through digital payment methods OPAS (2021).
We need to protect ourselves from these unfortunate events more than ever. The most efficient way to
prevent online shopping fraud is to be aware and learn how to spot it. I will now explain a few steps to
consider when shopping online to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.