Paypal partners with Crimestoppers

Mark Freidin

16th Feb 2011

PayPal and Crime Stoppers partner to combat online crime

The convenience and flexibility of online shopping coupled with the ongoing innovations in online and mobile payment technology has driven huge growth in the number of Australians hitting the web, with 500,000 Australians joining PayPal in the last 6 months alone.

With more and more Aussies across a broad demographic now heading online for their dose of retail therapy, PayPal has joined forces with Crime Stoppers to educate online shoppers about how to stay safe when transacting online.

The partnership will see a series of initiatives rolled out over the coming year aiming to raise consumer awareness about the serious reality of online crime.

With the numerous benefits of online shopping driving Australians online, PayPal emphasises that greater awareness and understanding about online security and what to watch out for is vital to ensure Australians enjoy safe online transactions and avoid falling victim to cyber criminals.

Frerk-Malte Feller, Managing Director, PayPal Australia said: “It is an exciting time in online retail, with Australian consumers expected to spend $36.8 billion online in 2013. It is the responsibility of business, government and industry leaders to educate Australian consumers about how to stay safe online, and as a trusted online payments provider, we take this responsibility very seriously.”

“We look forward to working closely with Crime Stoppers to engage Australians in the conversation about online safety and security.”

Peter Price OAM, Crime Stoppers spokesperson said: “Cyber crime is a significant issue in Australia and around the world. As more Australians are taking advantage of online shopping, scammers are using increasingly sophisticated methods to steal consumer identities and con Australian consumers through slick misleading incentives.”

“Australian consumers need to start applying the same rigor to their online security checks, as they would their offline security. Very few people would leave their front door unlocked when they leave their home, so it’s important that Australians behave the same way online. Don’t be too trusting! Wherever possible, online shoppers should use free services like PayPal to protect themselves and avoid falling prey to scammers.”

PayPal enables consumers to make safe online payments by never sharing its users’ financial details, and allowing its users to choose their funding option when making a purchase online, by offering them the ability to pay using their bank account, debit or credit card.

In addition to protecting your personal and financial information, PayPal offers a service called Buyer Protection which helps protect eligible shoppers on merchant websites if they don’t receive an item they have purchased online, or if they receive an item which is significantly different than described by the merchant.

“We are committed to improving customer experience when shopping online. PayPal’s Buyer Protection policy provides an added layer of security, ensuring that our 3.6 million active accounts have the confidence to make purchases online,” said Malte.

Staying safe online requires not only the best tools, but knowledge and awareness of ways that you can be tripped up when transacting online. To help Australians avoid being scammed, PayPal and Crime Stoppers have developed their top tips for staying safe when shopping online.

1. Use a safe password: Using the same password at multiple sites is like using the same key for your house, your car, and your office. If something happens to that key, you’re in trouble.

Don’t use an obvious password like “password” or the name or birthday of a family member.

Use a strong password which includes a combination of upper and lowercase letters and numbers.

Use different passwords for different Web sites. You don’t necessarily have to have 50 different passwords for all your online activity, but you should “tier” your passwords based on the type of activity you do. For example, choose one secure password for financial sites; another password for e-commerce/shopping sites like eBay, Gap.com, etc.; another password for email accounts; etc. Change your password every few months.

2. Protect your computer: Shopping online on an unprotected computer is like driving without a seat belt.

Use an updated Internet browser that blocks fraudulent websites – such as Internet Explorer 7 or 8, or Firefox 3

Update your antivirus software

3. Beware of phishing emails: Don’t get “hooked”.

If you’re not expecting an email from a company, be wary of clicking on links in the email to log into your online accounts.

When in doubt, always open a new browser and type in the URL of the company’s website.

Fraudsters typically send emails telling you that something terrible will happen if you don’t ACT NOW. Then they send you to a fake Web site to steal your information. Be wary of emails that carry an inflated sense of urgency.

4. Finally, use common sense: Listen to that old adage that says, “if it sounds too good to be true, it is.” If you wouldn’t do something in the offline world, don’t assume it’s safe online. Trust your instincts.