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When shopping online there are several things
you can do to add to your shopping safety. Being aware of technology
scams, checking website policies and understanding your credit card
rights, will go a long way in providing personal protection. Some
shopping websites will provide cost comparisons, assisting you in
finding the lowest price for your request. Be aware, there have been
reports of a few sites “fixing” their technology and returning
incorrect results. Once while shopping you have decided where you
want to make your purchase, go through that shopping website and
look for policies defining warranties, refunds, returns, legal
statements and privacy policies. Warranties, where provided, will
tell you what is covered and for what time period.
Where possible on a shopping website, use a secure online payment
service like PayPal or WorldPay.Use credit cards rather than debit
cards.Don't keep your personal or financial information (including
account passwords) on your computer. Use removable storage (like a
USB stick). When submitting information online on a shopping site,
make sure there is a "lock" icon on the browser's status bar (and
that it is"locked"). Keep your operating system, anti-virus, anti-spyware
and firewall software up to date.
Use anti-virus software and/or firewalls on every computer you
own/use.
Anyone can sell shopping things online, so it is a good habit to
check out the online shopping seller before you make a purchase.
Make sure the shopping Web site gives the business' name, mailing
address (more than a post office box) and telephone number. You need
to know how to reach the seller so if you can't find a working phone
number, go somewhere else. Type the shopping site's name into a
search engine. If you find unfavorable reviews, you may be better
off doing business with some other shopping site. Are you familiar
with the seller's merchandise or services? Can you tell exactly what
you're getting based on the site's description or pictures? Also, do
you understand all costs (including price, shipping, and taxes),
delivery time, warranty information, and the return policy? Make
sure the shopping site has clear information about what you can do
if you have problems with your NEW purchase.
Check for expected delivery dates, shipping and handling fees,
warranties, return policies, and other important information. Look
for an email address to write to (or a phone number to call) if you
have a question, a problem, or if you need help. Know what shopping
information the merchant is collecting about you, how it will be
used, and if they share it with or sell it to others.
It's a good practice to be familiar with the name or reputation of
any shopping company you're dealing with. You can often find helpful
information about online companies from Internet news sources,
directories, and rating services. The Federal Trade Commission
maintains a web site (www.consumer.gov) that provides many buyer's
guides, lists of tips, and links to helpful shopping resources.
Trust your instincts. If you don't feel comfortable buying or
bidding on an item over the shopping website, or if you feel
pressured to place your order immediately, maybe you shouldn't. Be
knowledgeable about web-based auctions and shopping sites. Take
special care to familiarize yourself not only with the rules and
policies of the auction and shopping site itself but with the legal
terms (warranties, refund policy, etc.) of the seller's items that
you wish to bid on. Insure the safe delivery of your item. If you're
concerned you may not be home when your package is delivered and
that someone may take it if it is left on the doorstep, ask whether
you can specify that the shipper must receive a signature before
leaving the package. Or, it may be safer to have the package
delivered to your office. See Delivery. Inspect your purchase. Look
at your purchase carefully as soon as you receive it. Contact the
seller as soon as possible if you discover a problem with it. Tell
the seller in writing about any problems you have, ask for a repair
or refund, and keep a copy of your correspondence. See Legal Terms.
First, you have to look at the address bar of your browser and see
what the address of the page where you enter your personal and
credit card information looks like. If the shopping address begins
with https: (s for secure) instead of http:, then this page is using
SSL. Note that only the page(s) where you actually enter your
personal and credit card information need to be protected with SSL.
All other pages on the shopping Web site in most cases don’t use SSL
because they don’t need to.Once you get to the shopping site, the
Web address begins with https: ("s" for secure), and the locked
padlock at the bottom of the window confirms the shopping site has
increased security. You can rest your mouse pointer on the lock to
see the level of encryption.
Protect your private information. When shopping online, look for the
retailer’s Web site privacy policy and never provide your Social
Security number, birth date, or mother's maiden name. Ensure your
computer has the latest anti-virus software installed before
shopping online. Always print and save the confirmation page when
completing an online purchase.Don't wait for paper statements, Check
your credit card and bank statements for suspicious activity by
either calling your bank or visiting your financial institution’s
Web site. Shop only at Internet merchants you know and trust; if in
doubt check with the Better Business Bureau.Beware of emails
offering cut-rate prices on popular toys, software or other gifts;
if the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.If you
receive an unsolicited email from an Internet merchant, don't click
on the links within it. Instead, locate the merchant's Web site
address through a reputable search engine.
Don't fall victim to scare tactics (or urgency). "Phish" emails will
often attempt to hook someone by stating that there is a problem
with their account information or with their order. If you have any
questions about an email you have received, pick up the phone and
call your financial institution. DO NOT use the phone number
included in the email itself - look up the number in the phone book
or on your statement to get the correct number.Be suspicious of any
email that asks you for personal financial information. Legitimate
companies generally will not ask for this information via email
unless solicited to do so by you. The same holds true for any email
purporting to be from a foreign dignitary or promising wealth if you
act quickly.
Make sure your browser is set to the highest level of security
notification and monitoring.
The safety options are not always activated by default when you
install your computer. The most popular browsers include Microsoft
Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera. Check that you're using a
recent version – you can usually download the latest version from
these browsers' websites. Always check your statements. Check
statements as soon as you receive them. If you find a transaction on
your statement that you did not make, contact your bank or card
company immediately. Tear up, or preferably shred, any documents
that contain information relating to your financial affairs.
Consider using an Internet-only card.If you regularly make
transactions over the Internet consider opening a separate credit
card account specifically for these transactions. This would enable
you to monitor transactions at a glance and credit cards offer
additional consumer protection should anything go wrong.
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