Before you pay online, check who you're paying. The E-Commerce Association (AETM) has published an updated E-Merchant Registry - a public database conceived as a shield against online fraud and the gray economy buzzing across social media.

The numbers show how much the sector has grown: 1,374 active e-merchants and 1,829 registered points of sale, with a total turnover of 950 million euros - a 32 percent rise year on year. Domestic merchants account for 522 million euros. The most points of sale are in cosmetics (115), clothing and footwear (100) and food and drink (87).

The database is updated in cooperation with five licensed banks, and the most useful part for the ordinary buyer is the AI tool that lets you check whether a social-media profile is a legitimate merchant or a potential scam. In other words, instead of hoping the parcel will arrive, you can check in advance who you're handing your money to.

This is a rarity worth praising - a concrete tool instead of yet another press release. But the real test will be whether people actually use it. Too many online scams succeed precisely because no one checks, and a profile with low prices and pretty photos looks too tempting. The registry exists; the question is whether opening it before clicking "buy" becomes a habit.