How a Security Expert Shops Online Without Getting Scammed

Online shopping scams are big business. According to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), $1.026 trillion was lost to scams worldwide in a single year. And with 56% of people encountering scams at least monthly (F-Secure), staying scam-free takes real vigilance.

To get practical insight on safe online shopping, we spoke with Laura Kankaala, Head of Threat Intelligence at F-Secure. With nearly a decade in cybersecurity, Laura is known for making complex threats easy to understand.

Here’s how she avoids scams — and what anyone can learn from her approach.

How Often a Security Expert Shops Online

“I shop online a lot — probably most of my clothes, electronics, games and so on I’ve bought online. I play a lot of video games and for online games I also buy a lot of stuff, like cosmetic items or skins for Dota 2. Most of the time I’ve got what I ordered — but I do remember back in the day buying some cheap clothes that were far from what was advertised. And there was no way to return the packages.”

The Most Convincing Scam She's Come Across

“I visited Japan with my family late last year. We tried to get tickets to the Ghibli Museum — a very well-known museum in Tokyo notorious for being difficult to get tickets for. We did a lot of searching and Google translating on different websites. We also found many people claiming to be able to get us tickets.

Many of the websites and ‘helpful’ people turned out to be, if not scams, at least incredibly shady. Some claimed to sell tickets. But thanks to all the background research we did, we knew that the tickets are tied to a name and can’t be transferred to anyone. It’s annoying how scammers take advantage of situations like this.”

What She Checks First on a New Shopping Site

“First, I check the URL — does it look somehow weird or unexpected? I check when it was registered and any other details I can dig up. Also, I’ll consider whether the thing I’m looking to buy is way too cheap compared to other sites. Then if I’m still suspicious, I go to Reddit or other sites to see if people are talking about the online shop or seller. Whenever I’m buying something from a new place, I am very skeptical.”

The Red Flag People Still Miss

“I think people often forget to check return policies — these can be one telltale sign of a scam or shady business. I often look at the company address (or return address) and check it on Google Maps.”

What Shoppers Worry About That They Shouldn't

“Absolutely. I think people are often nervous about buying from smaller online shops. Because shopping scams are so common, people might be too cautious — and legitimate small businesses and entrepreneurs suffer. The best bet is to verify that the online shop has a clear return policy. I’d also recommend buying with a credit card that has insurance for fraud.”

Why Passwords Still Matter When Shopping Online

Passwords remain one of the biggest safety factors in online shopping.

Laura explains: “Reusing your password is like sharing a key to your house with people you don’t know. They might initially be trustworthy — but what if someone steals your key from them? Suddenly, you can no longer control who has access to your house anymore. This is the same for your digital life — your email, your social media, and all your other online accounts — when a reused password is stolen.”

One Thing She Never Does

“I never use my debit card — I always use a credit card or PayPal.”

What to Do If You Click a Suspicious Shopping Link

“Unless you’re running an antique version of your browser, typically nothing bad happens if you just click the link and visit the site. The scammers get you if you download something or enter your data on the page. They might outright steal it — or, in the case of shopping scams, you just end up sending money and never get your items.

So, no worries if you clicked the link — just close the site and remove it from your browser history so you don’t land there again by accident.”

Laura's No-Nonsense Advice for Safer Online Shopping

“Use online security tools to see if the site is legit. Google for reviews. If you’re on a marketplace, check if the seller has any reviews. Positive reviews can be faked or bought — so personally, I take the negative reviews more seriously.”

Lessons From a Pro: Shopping Smarter and Safer

Laura’s advice boils down to a few simple habits that go a long way:

• Be skeptical of new sites. Check URLs, domain info, and prices that seem too low.
• Check return policies and contact details. Missing or vague information is a serious warning sign.
• Pay securely. Use a credit card or PayPal instead of a debit card.
• Never reuse passwords. One compromised password can open far more than your shopping account.
• Use smart protection tools. Let security software scan sites and block scams before you click “buy.”

Building Confidence in Every Purchase

Online shopping is here to stay, and so are scams. Staying safe doesn’t mean shopping less — it means shopping smarter.

With protection tools running in the background, you can browse, buy, and check out with confidence:

• Warnings for risky websites and fake payment pages
• Features that verify whether a shop is trustworthy
• A password manager to create and store strong, unique passwords
• Filters that catch suspicious messages before you open them
• Alerts for data breaches that include your information
• Security that blocks dangerous downloads from scam sites