{"id":150737,"date":"2022-06-08T06:07:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T13:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=150737"},"modified":"2022-08-07T11:10:40","modified_gmt":"2022-08-07T18:10:40","slug":"8-ways-to-know-if-online-stores-are-safe-and-legit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/tips-tricks\/8-ways-to-know-if-online-stores-are-safe-and-legit\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Ways to Know If Online Stores Are Safe and Legit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The explosion of <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">e-commerce<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> sites has changed how we shop today, providing access to millions of <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">online stores<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> with almost unlimited selections.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Just as you would take basic precautions in a brick-and-mortar store \u2014 perhaps hiding your PIN number while paying and making sure the business is legitimate \u2014 you should also practice safe shopping habits online.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Here are eight ways you can avoid <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">fake websites<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and other <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/tips-tricks\/top-online-scams-avoid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">online <\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/tips-tricks\/top-online-scams-avoid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">scams<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and ensure that you\u2019re dealing with <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">legitimate companies<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and safe <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">online stores<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Use the free McAfee WebAdvisor to check for safe sites<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One of the best ways to tell if an <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">online store<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> is legit and avoid <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">debit<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">credit card<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">scams<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">domain name<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and subdomain name takeovers, and other problems is with a free and effective download like McAfee WebAdvisor.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This smart tool helps you surf and shop with confidence, protecting you from malicious sites that can contain:\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"5\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Adware:<\/span><\/b> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pop-ups<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that might be infected with <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">malware<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"5\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Spyware: <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Software downloaded without the user\u2019s consent, perhaps passing on sensitive personal information to advertisers or cybercriminals.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"5\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Viruses:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Pieces of code that can copy themselves and typically have a negative effect, such as slowing down your system or destroying data<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"5\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Phishing<\/span><\/b> <b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">scams<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> When <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hackers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> send duplicitous emails designed to trick people into falling for a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">scam<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to reveal financial information, system credentials, or other sensitive data<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">McAfee WebAdvisor is a free browser extension that downloads quickly and installs easily, working in the background automatically to protect you from <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">malware<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">phishing<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> as you surf, search, and enjoy <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">online shopping<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">McAfee WebAdvisor works with Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and 7 (32- and 64-bit) computers and is compatible with these browsers:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"6\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Internet Explorer 10.0 or later<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"6\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"6\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Microsoft Edge (Windows 10 only; Fall Creators Update required)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"6\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Mozilla Firefox<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"6\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Google <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Chrome<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Here are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/antivirus\/mcafee-total-protection.html?path=blogs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">other ways<\/a> to make sure you know when you\u2019re dealing with <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">scammers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> online.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Check the <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">padlock<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> in the <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">address bar<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When checking an <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">e-commerce<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> site\u2019s credentials, start with the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">address bar<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Often, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hackers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> will use URLs that are very close to the real site\u2019s URL but not quite the same. Look for <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">typos<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> or use Google to see if a search takes you to the same page. Also, look for a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">padlock<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> icon in the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">address bar<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Click the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">padlock<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and look at the drop-down menu that provides information, such as if the site has a valid certificate like <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">SSL<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (verifying that the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">web address<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> belongs to the company), how many cookies are in use, other site settings, and whether your information is safe when sent to this site.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The protection is pretty good but not perfect since some cybercriminals have been able to replicate these <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">padlocks<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> or take over <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">legitimate sites<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that have them.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Verify the website\u2019s <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">trust seal<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Trust seals<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, such as the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trustedsite.com\/certification\/?from=security\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">TrustedSite certification<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, are stamps created by a certificate authority (CA) to confirm the legitimacy of a site. A trust seal tells visitors that they are on a safe site and the company that displays the mark prioritizes <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">cybersecurity<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Click on it, and you should be taken to a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">webpage<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that verifies the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">authenticity<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> of the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">trust seal<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Use the Google <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Transparency Report<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Google\u2019s <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Safe Browsing<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> technology crawls through billions of <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">web addresses<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> every day on the lookout for unsafe websites. The technology discovers thousands daily \u2014 often <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">legitimate sites<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that have been compromised. Warnings for unsafe sites <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">pop up<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> in your browser and on the Google <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">search engine<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. You can also <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/transparencyreport.google.com\/safe-browsing\/search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">search specific URLs<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to see if a site has been compromised.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Check the company\u2019s <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">social media<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> presence<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s worth checking a company on <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">social media<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to see if they appear to have a genuine following and legitimate posts. The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbb.org\/article\/news-releases\/23460-bbb-tip-how-to-spot-a-fake-social-media-account\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Better Business Bureau<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">BBB<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">) also has suggestions for spotting fake <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">social media<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> accounts, including those on <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">LinkedIn<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You should look for:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Accounts with poor or no content and stock or recycled images<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Poor engagement with followers<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lack of transparency about who runs the account<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Phony reviews<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Links to <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">phishing<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">scams<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">malware<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Review the company\u2019s contact info<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Another way to test the legitimacy of an online retail store is to check its <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">contact information<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Does it have a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">physical address<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">phone number<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and email contact? Does the email address on the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">contact page<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> have the company <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">domain name<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> in it, or is it generic (like a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Gmail<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> address)? If you send an email, does it get delivered?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Analyze the overall look of the website<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Check to see if the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">e-commerce<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> site looks as if it has been professionally produced or whether it has been thrown together with slapdash results. Are there <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">typos<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, grammar errors, poor-quality images, and a sloppy design? Does it have a poorly worded <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">return policy<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> or no <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">return policy<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> at all?\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">All the things that undermine the professional appearance and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">authenticity<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> of a site should be <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">red flags<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and convince you that you\u2019re on a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">scam website<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Verify if there are company reviews<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If the online company is a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">legitimate website<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (not a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">scam site<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">) and has been around for a while, there should be authentic third-party reviews from previous customers. Review sites include <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Google My Business<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Amazon<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yelp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Yelp<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If the reviews are uniformly bad, on the other hand, you have another type of problem to confront.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">See how McAfee WebAdvisor can keep you safe while <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">shopping online<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Since virtual shopping is fast becoming the new norm, it\u2019s important to guard against cybercriminals that are increasingly targeting retailers and their customers. A great way to shop with confidence is to use <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/safe-browser\/mcafee-webadvisor.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">McAfee WebAdvisor<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which is available as a free download.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The web browser extension works tirelessly in the background to protect you as you browse and buy. Think of it as a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/antivirus\/mcafee-total-protection.html?path=blogs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> gift to yourself<\/a> so you can use the internet to its full potential while keeping your information protected.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The explosion of e-commerce sites has changed how we shop today, providing access to millions of online stores with almost&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":674,"featured_media":154413,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10670],"tags":[15255,11362,5941],"coauthors":[3973],"class_list":["post-150737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","tag-online-shoping","tag-online-shopping-scams","tag-scams"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>8 Ways to Know If Online Stores Are Safe and Legit | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The explosion of e-commerce sites has changed how we shop today, providing access to millions of online stores with almost unlimited selections.\u00a0\u00a0 Just as\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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