Shop Online Safely

March 2009

Mitigate your risks by being a vigilant shopper

In tough economic times, it’s important not only to spend wisely, but safely. That’s especially true when shopping online.  So, during this National Consumer Protection Week, we’d like to reiterate the Federal Trade Commission's recommendations for keeping e-commerce secure.

First, let’s take a look at the FTC’s advice:

•    Know who you’re dealing with—be sure the company's website gives a physical address and a working phone number. 
•    Use your credit card (don’t ever send cash or money orders), but only on secure sites—look for the lock icon or https in your browser window (That is, the prefix that appears in your web browser. On many web sites, this will say “http”—but you want to make sure a page on which you enter your credit card information reads “https”.) 
•    Be sure you know the terms of the deal, like refund policies, and print out copies of your receipts

These are good tips, to be sure. But we’d like to add a few more. Namely:
•    Enter web addresses into your browser by hand. Don’t follow links—these can lead you to scammer web sites.
•    Keep anti-virus protection current by downloading software security updates.
•    Create complex passwords for e-commerce sites. Try to use a password of at least seven characters. Alternate numbers, letters and cases because automated password-guessing programs can detect words that are in the dictionary. Do not save passwords or bank account information on your computer. This is a recipe for disaster if the computer ever goes missing.
•    Use “one-time” credit cards. These expire after one use, rendering them useless to identity thieves.
•    Or use a single credit card (never a debit card) for all Internet activity—this makes it easier to keep track of online activity. 
•    Never share personal information over e-mail or instant messaging platforms. It’s quite common for identity thieves to masquerade as trusted individuals or institutions in an attempt to steal your sensitive personal info.
•    Print all information relevant to your purchase. This includes product information, delivery details, warranties and confirmations.

For more info on how to shop safely and avoid common scams, visit the FTC’s site for consumer tips, OnGuardOnline.gov.