Shopping online is quick and convenient, but it brings real safety risks. Scams have become increasingly common, along with other security threats. As reported by Yahoo Finance, 31% of UK customers have abandoned online purchases over scam fears.
London’s fast pace means many of us shop on the go, often without giving a second thought to the security of the connection we’re using or the legitimacy of the site we’re browsing. But when you know how to spot threats, you’ll find it’s easier to stay safe while you shop online.
What Threats Do London Shoppers Face Online?
You may run into various types of threats when buying online. A phishing email might lead you to a lookalike website, for example, or data stolen in a breach might be used to make scam messages more convincing. But you can take actions to protect yourself.
Data Breaches
Data breaches are a real threat to UK online shoppers. Cybercriminals use sophisticated tools to attack retail sites and gather customer data.
Your password, home address, email address, and payment information could all be stolen in a data breach. Data thieves may target your accounts on other sites, steal your money, and commit fraud in your name.
What can you do about it?
Limiting the number of shopping sites, you use will help you control how much of your information is online. Only shop with trusted businesses that you know. Bigger companies are more likely to invest in high-end security than smaller ones.
If you travel often and only want to shop at UK sites, get a UK IP address anywhere. With a UK IP address, websites will see that you’re based there instead of another country.
Lookalike Websites
Scammers can clone popular shopping sites to create lookalikes. Unsuspecting customers looking for a bargain may click on a link and end up on a fake site. The cloned site looks just like the authentic one, featuring the same visuals and messaging.
Fraudsters use lookalike sites to gain trust and capitalise on a brand’s reputation. If you buy from a fake site, scammers have your money and personal information. Depending on the site, fraudsters will either never send your order, or they’ll ship a cheap knockoff instead.
What can you do about it?
The easiest way to spot a lookalike site is to check the URL. Cloned sites use URLs that resemble the authentic one but have small differences.
Scammers may add, remove, or change characters to trick customers. For instance, a cloned Amazon site’s URL could be “Amaz0n”.
Check a URL’s authenticity before you buy, especially if you followed a link for an irresistible deal on social media. Fraudsters often promote bargains that are too good to be true to send shoppers to fake sites.
You can use dedicated tools to check URLs and find out whether they’re associated with scams.
Phishing Scams
Phishing scammers target UK shoppers by posing as trusted organisations and convincing them to share information or make payments.
Clicking a link in a phishing message usually opens a malicious site that steals data or infects your device. The government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/2026 revealed that phishing is the most common attack type in the UK.
What can you do about it?
To avoid being scammed, never click on a link in an email or text message until you check the source. If you have an account with the business that seems to be behind the message, sign in on the site. You may have notifications that reference recent messages.
This article is a paid guest contribution. The views and information expressed are those of the contributor and not of Homegirl London.