How to stay safe on the internet

The internet makes shopping, returns and complaints easier. It also makes scams easier. Most attacks are not advanced hacks. They rely on haste, trust and one careless click. This guide gives you practical habits so you can shop with more confidence, spot classic traps, and know exactly what to do when something feels wrong.

You do not need to be a technical expert. You need healthy skepticism at the right moment, and a clear plan when doubt appears.

The most important rule: pause when something feels off

If an email, text, message or call pushes you to act immediately, treat that as a warning. Scammers love urgency. Real stores, banks and authorities almost always give you time to think.

When you are unsure, do nothing right away. Close the message. Call the store’s customer service using a number you find yourself on the official website. Ask whether the contact is genuine before you click, pay, share codes or send goods anywhere.

That habit alone stops many attempts.

Do not click links blindly

Links are the most common trap. A link can look like the store, yet lead to a fake page that steals logins, card details or authentication codes.

Do this instead

• Do not open links from unexpected messages about parcels, refunds, “suspended” accounts or “last chance” warnings
• Type the store’s web address yourself, or use a bookmark you already trust
• Sign in there, and check orders, returns or your account yourself
• On a computer, hover over a link and read the address before clicking. If the domain is not an exact match, leave it alone

Tiny spelling tricks are classic: extra letters, swapped characters, odd endings. “Almost right” is not good enough.

Watch for urgent parcel and payment messages

“Your parcel could not be delivered. Click here.”
“We charged you by mistake. Confirm your card details.”
“Your account closes today.”

Messages like these are often fake. Go straight to the shop, courier or bank through their own app or website.

Call customer service when you are unsure

This is the safest shortcut, and people use it too rarely.

How to do it properly

1. Find the store’s official website by searching yourself or typing the address
2. Find the customer service phone number there, not in the email or text
3. Call and briefly explain what you received
4. Ask whether they sent the message, and what you should do
5. Follow only instructions from that official channel

Never trust a phone number inside a suspicious message if you are unsure. Scammers often plant a “customer service” number that reaches them.

The same applies to chat links in emails. Chat with the store from your order page or their app, not through a random link.

Spot phishing and fake senders

Phishing is when someone pretends to be a company you know in order to steal information or money.

Typical signs

• Urgent deadlines and threats
• Awkward language or odd phrasing
• Generic greetings like “Dear customer” without a matching order number
• Files or links you did not ask for
• Requests for authentication codes, PINs, card numbers or screen sharing
• A sender address that looks close, but is not correct

Check the real sender carefully. A display name can say “Power” or “Your bank” while the actual address is something else. When unsure: call.

Never share codes, ID confirmation or your screen

No genuine store, courier or bank will ask you to:

• Hand over one time codes from a suspicious link or message
• Share SMS codes
• Start full screen sharing so “support” can fix something late at night
• Transfer money “to unlock a larger refund”
• Buy gift cards or cryptocurrency to solve a problem

If someone asks for that, it is a scam. Hang up. Block. Contact the real company on a number you find yourself.

Check the store before you buy

Safety starts before checkout.

Quick checklist before you pay

• Is there a clear company identity, contact option and terms?
• Is the price unrealistically low compared with other shops?
• Does the site use https, and does payment look professional?
• Can you find reviews from more than one independent place, not only on the shop’s own page?
• Are you being pushed into unusual payment methods?

On marketplaces: check the seller’s history, and save the order confirmation immediately. If a “support” message after purchase feels wrong, go back to the platform’s own channels.

Protect login, email and devices

Your email is the key to orders, password resets and receipts. Protect it carefully.

• Use unique passwords for email, banking and shops. A password manager helps
• Turn on two step verification wherever it exists, especially on email
• Keep phone and computer updated
• Install apps only from official stores
• Do not share logins “just for a moment”
• Sign out on shared or public computers

If your email is compromised, scammers can place orders, change delivery addresses and erase traces. Email security is purchase security.

Social media, DMs and “helpful” strangers

Scams also happen on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Messenger:

• Profiles that look like store support
• Private messages about “problems with your order”
• Links to “fast refunds”
• Contests that demand login or payment

Write to the store through their official profile or website, or call. Do not reply to unsolicited DMs about orders unless you started the conversation in a channel you trust.

What if you already clicked?

Do not panic. Act quickly.

1. Close the page immediately
2. Change the password on the affected account from a device and link you opened yourself
3. Change your email password too if you reused it
4. Contact your bank if you entered card details
5. Call the store if it involved an order, so the account can be secured
6. Keep evidence: screenshots, sender, time, amounts
7. Report to the police if you lost money or personal data, and use the relevant channels for online crime where you live

The earlier you act, the more damage you can limit.

Safety during returns, complaints and “support”

When something is wrong with a purchase, you are more vulnerable because you want the issue fixed.

• Use the store’s own return portal or the number on the official site
• Do not send extra “processing fees” to private accounts to push a return through
• Do not share your full purchase history in a random chat
• Keep the conversation clear: order number, what is wrong, and what you want
• Keep your own proof safe, so you are not forced to click suspicious “resend receipt” links

A solid purchase archive makes you less dependent on panic links. When the receipt and order are ready on your side, you can contact the store calmly and directly.

A short checklist to remember

• Do not click unexpected links about parcels, payments or accounts
• Type the address yourself, or use the app and a trusted bookmark
• When unsure: call official customer service
• Never give authentication codes or screen access to “support”
• Check the shop before you pay
• Protect your email with a strong password and two step verification
• Ignore unsolicited DMs about orders
• Act fast if you clicked the wrong thing, and contact your bank if needed

How Kvito helps with the calm part

Safety is also about having your proof without hunting through old emails and risky links. With Kvito you can scan paper receipts, gather email proof, see deadlines for returns and complaints, and use Amanda when you need to write to the store through the right channels. The clearer your own overview is, the less tempted you are to click in the dark.

Frequently asked questions

May I ever click a link in an email from a store?

Yes, if you expected the email, recognize the context, and the address looks completely correct. If you have even a little doubt, skip the link and go in through the store’s own site.

What if the phone rings and they say they are from the store?

Ask for an order number and details you can verify yourself. Hang up, then call back on the official number. Real support will not mind caution.

Is SMS safer than email?

No. SMS can also be spoofed. Same rules apply: no panic, no blind clicks, call instead.

Can I trust the top Google result?

Not blindly. Ads and fake pages can rank high. Check the domain, company details and preferably more than one source. For payment: prefer the app or bookmark you already know.

What if a friend or colleague sent a strange link?

Message them in another channel and ask whether they meant to send it. Accounts get hacked. Do not click “just to see what it is”.

In short

Internet safety is not paranoia. It is a pause before action. Do not click blindly. Do not share codes. And when you are unsure: call the store’s customer service on a number you found yourself, before you do anything else.