How to online shop safely during COVID-19 pandemic

CHICAGO (WLS) -- With stores closed, more people are turning to online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic. But a software company warns that there are plenty of scammers and thieves waiting for you on the web.

ABC7 Consumer Investigator Jason Knowles consulted software company Riskified on how to shop safely online.

First, you're going to want to make sure you're shopping on sites that say "https" in the URL, not just "http." Otherwise, you may end up going to a site and not getting your products.

Consumers should use a credit card whenever possible, instead of a checking or debit card.

While you can dispute both cards, it's much easier to dispute a charge on a credit card. Additionally, the money isn't coming directly from your checking account, if you do get scammed.