Heaptalk, Jakarta — As Eid approaches, the trend of online shopping in Indonesia is expected to increase, following a rise in consumer spending patterns. This moment presents an opportunity for businesses to maximize their efforts. On the other hand, this also increases the risks associated with social commerce, raising concerns about safe shopping.
One of the most prominent online shopping platforms currently is social commerce (s-commerce), which is gaining increasing popularity. Statista data projects that revenue from social commerce will reach 22% of all e-commerce transactions by 2028. According to a survey, 60% of Indonesians are satisfied and will continue using s-commerce, while the remaining 40% are still waiting for new and interesting features from s-commerce platforms. This survey reflects the most commonly used types of s-commerce for shopping, such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
However, this trend is also accompanied by increased security risks. Recent data from Kaspersky shows that TikTok users are also targeted. Scammers create fake TikTok Shop pages to steal seller credentials, potentially damaging their reputation and incurring financial losses. Scam schemes on this platform also target users in Indonesia. Additionally, in 2024, Kaspersky’s anti-phishing technology blocked over 8 million phishing attempts targeting Indonesian users. A total of 8,199,021 phishing detections were successfully prevented by Kaspersky within the country during 2024.
Beware of suspicious links
According to Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky, the digital era has brought significant changes in various aspects of life, including shopping methods. Now, people don’t only shop in physical stores or traditional markets but also through social media. He appreciated the domestic government’s efforts to prioritize monitoring this e-commerce trend. Online shopping and electronic payments have become an essential part of popular celebratory activities.
“Therefore, we urge the Indonesian public to remain vigilant, especially regarding sales announcements made through emails, text messages, social media posts, or even phone calls. Threats can come from anywhere, but we can protect ourselves through vigilance and strong security solutions installed on our devices,” said Yeo Siang Tiong.
For a safe shopping experience, The cybersecurity firm advises online shoppers to never click on suspicious links sent via social media, texts, SMS, messenger apps, or other platforms. Shoppers should also be aware of the official communication channels used by digital banks. Additionally, identifying other official communication channels, such as social media, websites, emails, and WhatsApp from the digital bank used, is crucial to avoid frauds that impersonate the bank.
Managing passwords
Furthermore, Yeo Siang Tiong suggests that internet users shop on secure websites, one way being to look for URLs starting with “https://”, not “http://”. Also, look for a locked padlock in the browser’s address bar – clicking on it will display the security details of the website. Online passwords should be managed and protected, including using strong and different passwords for each online account. Online shoppers can use password managers to help maintain strong passwords across multiple accounts.
Online shoppers should be cautious about the type of information they are asked to provide. Don’t provide more information than necessary to complete your purchase. Never share personal information over the phone unless you are the one making the call, and never respond to unsolicited requests for personal information, especially passwords, credit card numbers, or bank account details.
Using a VPN is also recommended to enhance security. When shopping online using public Wi-Fi, it is recommended to first install a VPN (virtual private network) service. After completing the transaction, shoppers are advised to print and keep records of their online transactions. Lastly, shoppers can use comprehensive security services that can block phishing sites and prevent malware infections for a convenient, safe shopping.
