Brits are being urged to familiarise themselves on how to stay safe when shopping online to avoid being scammed.

The experts at MeandMyGlass.co.uk have identified seven top tips to keep in mind when online shopping.

This comes after a number of fake Wilko websites have been scamming people online with false, heavily discounted deals.

The fake websites have displayed extreme discounts and offers including a sofa and an electric bike for £25 each.

John Cutts, founder of MeandMyGlass said: “It’s a shame that there are people out there who would take advantage of others and their hard earned money by advertising false deals.

“Home furniture, decor and appliances can be expensive so it’s no wonder people are enticed by these crazy deals.

“We’ve put together a bit of a guide to help people identify when they’re being scammed so that they can continue to shop safely online without having to worry about someone taking their money.”

How to shop safely online:

Look for the padlock in the address bar
The padlock symbol in the address bar means that both the website and your information is secure and that there are no third parties who have broken into the website to steal your data.

Double check the URL
Scammers often make URLs that look very similar to well known brands in the hopes that people won’t spot much of a difference. Double check the URL to make sure you are shopping on the correct website.

Avoid making purchases on public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi tends to be less secure meaning there’s more chance of a third party eavesdropping on your sensitive information. When making transactions and entering personal details ensure you’re using a private and secure network.

Shop from trusted websites
Try to shop from reputable online websites, if you are using a new website take a look at their reviews to see what other people have to say about their experience.

Check the age of the website
If you’re unsure on whether a website is legit or not, there are plenty of online tools that will allow you to check the site’s domain age. This will tell you how long the domain has been in use for. If it’s only been created recently it’s very likely to be a scam.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication wherever possible
Two-Factor Authentication is essentially like having two locks on your door instead of one. Whenever you are asking if you would like to enable this, it’s worth doing so as it provides an extra layer of security.

Look out for deals that are too good to be true
If you’re getting a deal on a holiday or expensive item that seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Outrageously good deals are very likely to be scams.

Check the branding
If a scammer is pretending to be a reputable brand, check their branding and logo to see if it matches. Look out for small differences in colour and font.

Be aware of social media ads
A lot of scam sites will appear on social media ads. To shop safely online, avoid clicking these kinds of ads and choose regular search results that appear in Google.