Bargain or bust? The security risks of shopping trendy, low-cost websites
Buying things online can help save shoppers time, but as some sites like Temu, Shein, DHGate and TikTok Shop grow in popularity, so do the security concerns.
Brian Ledbetter, a cyber security expert with Guidepoint Security explains how unsafe shops like those are for American consumers.
“I have concerns about those types of websites because they’re linked to China,” he said. “Because they’re low cost, I doubt that they have the money to sufficiently fund a security program for their respective organizations compared to like Gap as an example.”
Ledbetter said customers’ personal data could be at risk of being shared with other businesses or even other governments.
Many of these trendy low-cost sites and apps are based out of China. Sites like Temu and Shein are known to sell products for pennies and during inflation, that’s something people are looking for.
Ledbetter said if people choose to shop at these online stores, there are some security measures to keep in mind: privacy policies and payment options.
“You should always review the privacy policies to understand how they’re handling your data,” he said. “Look for Apple Pay. Look for PayPal. A payment services provider that they’re familiar with and has historically good security so their credit card numbers aren’t misused.”