Now that the systems for making online payments, money transfers and the purchase of goods and services on the web are increasingly widespread and increasingly used, it is natural that a very frequent question also arises about cyberspace for this sector: where is privacy? ? And how can we be sure of what is happening on the web, our data and our information? Of course there are systems to avoid frauds, cyber attacks and various online dangers, especially when making payments and delicate transactions.

As we know the privacy and protection of our data is at the center of a very heated debate that has affected both governments and large tech companies. Despite trying to continue the democratic debate and snack on the first legislative solutions, there is still much to be done to turn the internet into a completely secure environment. Much depends also on us users!

The first thing to do before buying goods and services online and before putting our data at risk is to inform yourself: reviews, who is the offerer, who buys, what website is, what are the guarantees and the policies. Of course also the information you are looking for must be reliable: read reviews on sites like TrustPilot and verify that the site is always in safe mode. But even on the reviews there is always the possibility to come across bought or false reviews.

There are also online scams and phishing attempts. There are fake websites selling products – and even selling crypto currencies – that actually conceal scams, or the sale of nothing, after you have already paid. Phishing attempts are related to the theft of our personal data by sending fake emails or attachments.

Always read carefully the subject and the address from which the emails you receive come. If you receive emails from the bank or from electronic services such as PayPal which ask you to enter new data, raise your ears: these requests arrive to you through messages in the personal area, not via email with attached links. This phishing system is now also used on social networks, with scam messages and identity theft attempts.

The moral is the same: always check carefully the messages you receive and always visit the settings of the services you use to understand how and who can view your data and content.

Security also depends on the systems we use. Are our devices protected by an antivirus? Or rather we use a linux operating system? Are the sites we visit certified? What kind of network do we use? First of all, never enter personal data and do not make payments if connected to an unsecured public network, such as Wi-Fi, which are easily attacked by hackers and all your information discovered. To safeguard your online transactions – but also to be more free while surfing the web – always rely on secure connections like VPNs.

Our data, especially personal data, are now worth much more than we can think of, so it’s always necessary to think and safeguard our privacy – not only when we carry out delicate operations but every time we surf the web.