Why is it important to protect my account information?
It never hurts to be extra safe when online to avoid being scammed, phished, or having your information otherwise compromised. Fortunately, every day, thousands of sitters and owners have great experiences on Pawshake. We want to make sure this continues smoothly!
There are some simple steps that you can take to make your account information extra safe. Furthermore, these are good practices for use of any online e-commerce platform, so get into the habit of doing them regularly.
Change your password regularly
As with any online account, it’s safest to change your password every few months. Use a password generator (many browsers have these inbuilt, so you don't need to remember it each time) to create something extra secure. And of course, try not to use the same password for multiple sites or choose something easy to guess.
Always book through the Pawshake platform
Aside from gaining some great reviews for your profile and ranking higher on the search results, there are other great reasons to book through Pawshake. Bookings that go through our website are protected by the Pawshake Guarantee in case of an accident or cancellation during the booking. Plus, they are on record for our customer service team to give you a hand if necessary.
If a booking is taken offline, we have no way of knowing your arrangements and will have trouble stepping in to help if things go wrong. As such, let us know if you are ever asked to pay cash, as this is where problems nearly always begin.
Never share your account or payment information
All payments processed through Pawshake are convenient and automatic, with no need to exchange bank details or cash. Unless you are corresponding with our customer service team through the official channels, never send your bank account information or password online. And we will never ask for your password either!
Always take the time to meet and greet
A meet and greet is essential for ensuring a successful booking. Both parties can make sure they’re on the same page, the pet can get comfortable and both sitter and owner can feel good about the person they are going to be booking with. It puts the human touch into the Pawshake experience and ensures you aren’t leaving your pet with someone you haven’t even met.
Communicate through Pawshake
Here are a few red flags that might indicate a security risk. Firstly, keep an eye out for users who ask to immediately contact you via email rather than make arrangements first through the Pawshake site. Secondly, note anyone who asks for extensive or irrelevant personal details. And lastly, watch out for anyone sending strange links to click on or odd requests that don't fit with a usual pet-sitting assignment.
What do I do if I'm worried about my online security?
Our customer support team has extensive experience in dealing with these matters, so just reach out to them! It’s unlikely you’ll ever encounter any issues when using Pawshake, but if in doubt just drop us a line and we can help.
