Cybersecurity for Ecommerce Freelancers: Protecting Your Business and Identity Online

The world of ecommerce freelancing continues to make leaps and bounds, growing in multiple areas.

Freelancers manage dropshipping ventures, design online shops, and handle various digital marketing tasks. Opportunities are not endless, but if one wants to make money in ecommerce freelancing, it’s a real possibility.

Unfortunately, with the growth of ecommerce as a whole, the risks grow as well. Hackers, scammers, and fraudulent customers set their sights on freelancers.

Why? Freelancers are more prone because they don’t have the same security measures as large enterprises do.

Poor security threatens more than just your income. Client data and tarnished reputation could lead to legal issues for years to come.

Having said all that, the situation isn’t that dire. The good news is that there are tools and practices that help you secure your freelance business and build trust with your clients.

Understanding the Risks

Ecommerce freelancers deal with sensitive data, hence they are a prime target for digital threats. The data includes:

• Propriety client data;
• Login credentials;
• Payment transaction details;
• Customer details and email lists;

As for the most common risks, those would be:

• Fake clients, when scammers pose as potential customers to gain sensitive information or trick you into working for free.
• Malicious software that locks your access until you pay.
• Account hijacking occurs when hackers get hold of your ecommerce accounts or payment gateways.
• Phishing attacks via emails or messages disguised as legitimate platforms to fish for login credentials and other data.

Here is a real-life example. A freelancer managing an online store receives an email from an address with Shopify and thinks it’s a legit domain.

Unknowingly, they give access to the store’s backend. It takes only a few hours for fraudulent orders to be processed and cause significant damage.

Building Basic Digital Hygiene

Strong fundamentals are the first line of defense. Basic digital hygiene can be described as simple habits that help reduce potential risk.

The fundamentals should consist of the following:

• Regular account audit. This should be done at least once every couple of months. Thoroughly check which apps and integrations have access to your ecommerce platform. Revoke any that are no longer necessary.
• Update everything. The new version is not just about fresh features. It’s also about fixing potential security holes. Outdated plugins, apps, or device software should not be a thing. Make sure everything is up to date. Set automatic updates where possible.
• Enable 2FA. Most modern platforms used by ecommerce freelancers offer two-factor authentication. Even if hackers were to get their hands on your password, they would still need a secondary code to access the account.
• Unique and strong passwords. Never use the same passwords for multiple accounts. Always try to come up with unique combinations for your login credentials. Use password managers to store the details and access them.

Identity Verification to Build Trust

Identity verification is one of the most overlooked elements of security. It applies not just to you as a freelancer, but also to the people you work with.

It matters for:

• Freelancers, because verifying your identity with platforms or marketplaces builds trust and credibility with potential clients.
• Clients, because verifying the identity of partners, suppliers, or customers prevents fraud and protects your business reputation.
• Compliance, because many platforms now require KYC (Know Your Customer) and other processes for compliance with regulations.

Modern identity verification solutions like Idenfy offer:

• Real-time monitoring to verify sellers to bring trust to your marketplace.
• Customization of your checkout process to prevent underage customers from purchasing age-restricted items.
• Data collection automation to maintain full DAC7 compliance.
• Onboarding merchants, traders, and partners with custom verification flows, including document, selfie, and address verification, ensuring smooth scaling and regulatory adherence.
• Easy integration with platforms and workflows to simplify verification.

As a freelancer, you want to create a safe business environment and strengthen client confidence in your work, right? Don’t underestimate how much of a difference every step, including an identity verification platform, makes.

Securing Payment and Financial Accounts

Freelancers have to handle payments frequently, which makes financial security one of the top priorities.

It’s recommended to use verified and trustworthy platforms, such as PayPal or Stripe, for international payments.

Keeping business transactions separate from your personal bank account is a worthy consideration as well. It limits exposure in case of a breach.

Then there’s the chargeback scam. Scammers will pay for goods or services, receive them, then reverse the transaction. As a rule of thumb, you must keep clear contracts and records of the work you’ve done.

Lastly, if there’s an option, enable alerts for every transaction to spot suspicious activity immediately.

Safe Communications

It’s easy to slip up and make a mistake without realizing it. Communication channels are often the most prone because they are easy to miss or commonly ignored.

For example, freelancers change location and have to rely on available Wi-Fi. Public networks are hardly safe, so joining one comes with certain risks. At the very least, secure a VPN and use it when joining public Wi-Fi.

General communications are better off encrypted as well. Solutions like ProtonMail or Signal help freelancers keep discussions with clients or colleagues more secure.

Then there is file sharing. If you have to send somebody a file, do so via Dropbox or Google Drive. Cloud sharing is more secure than email.

Recovery Plans and Backups

Despite your best efforts, you cannot ensure 100% security. Things can still go wrong, so it only makes sense to have a plan B, C, and even D.

For starters, back up the data. Databases, emails, and important files related to your ecommerce ventures should be kept in Google Drive, Dropbox, or another safe location.

Investing in an external hard drive to keep your critical files on is not expensive, so consider it as well.

Finally, create a checklist of what to do in case of a breach. Chance passwords, notify customers, restore backups, report incidents, and other steps should be in the checklist.

Advanced Security Tips

If you want to fortify your ecommerce venture as a freelancer by going beyond the basics, start by keeping up with trends going on in the ecommerce industry and security. Read dedicated cybersecurity blogs.

Next, look at the available online courses on Udemy or Coursera. Even if it’s the basics, you can still learn something valuable.

As far as more practical tips go, here are a few more suggestions:

• Use a dedicated work device: Avoid mixing personal and professional activities on the same device.
• Enable remote wipe: In case of theft, you can erase sensitive data remotely.
• Use hardware keys for 2FA: Devices like YubiKey add an extra physical layer of security for critical accounts.
• Audit client contracts: Include security clauses to ensure both parties follow best practices when sharing sensitive information.

Conclusion

To sum everything up, ecommerce freelancers live and breathe online. Security is non-negotiable because there are simply too many forms of scams, with new ones getting introduced regularly.

Build strong digital hygiene, secure your payment channels, and keep your knowledge up to date to protect your income and reputation. Don’t treat cybersecurity as complicated or expensive. Start small, create a solid foundation, and grow from there while learning.

One more thing...

You didn't start freelancing to spend hours every week searching through job boards. You started freelancing to do more work you enjoy! Here at SolidGigs, we want to help you spend less time hunting and more time doing work you love.

Our team of "Gig Hunters"—together with the power of A.I.—sends you high-quality leads every weekday on autopilot. You can learn more or sign up here. Happy Freelancing!

Jack Nolan

Jack Nolan is a seasoned small business coach passionate about helping entrepreneurs turn their visions into thriving ventures. With over a decade of experience in business strategy and personal development, Jack combines practical guidance with motivational insights to empower his clients. His approach is straightforward and results-driven, making complex challenges feel manageable and fostering growth in a way that’s sustainable. When he’s not coaching, Jack writes articles on business growth, leadership, and productivity, sharing his expertise to help small business owners achieve lasting success.