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How to Shop Online more Safely
If you don't know an online retailer by its
brand or reputation, these tips can help you
determine whether they're operating a secure and
trustworthy Web site before you enter your
credit card number or personal information.
Before you select a store...
Do a background
check.
Look for a
physical address
(not a Post
Office box),
request a
catalog by mail,
or call and talk
to a company
representative.
Explore the Web site for third-party seals
of approval such as:
Companies can put these seals on their sites if
they abide by a set of rigorous standards—such
as how complaints and disputes will be resolved
and how personal information can be used. If you
don't readily see these seals on the site, look
in the privacy policy or "Terms & Conditions"
which should be clearly posted on the site.
Tip: If
you do see the seals above, click them to make
sure they link to the organization that created
them. Some unscrupulous merchants will put these
logos on their sites without permission, and
they're less likely to get caught if they don't
link back to the site.
Find out what other shoppers have
to say about an online
store on comparison sites such as
Epinions
or Bizrate.
These sites have customer evaluations built into
their design with a number of smiley faces or
stars.
Review their shipping methods and
policies to determine
what carriers they use, their shipping rates,
and if they provide tracking and insurance. Also
find out where they ship from—goods are
sometimes sent from international locations,
which require customs and extra time.
Before you enter your credit card number...
So, you've found the perfect item at the perfect
price and you're ready the purchase. Before you
enter your credit card number, make sure the
store you've chosen abides by the following
rules.
The company should only require
personal information that's necessary to
complete the purchase.
You will probably enter your credit card number,
address, and telephone number. Be wary if they
ask for other information such as your Social
Security number, bank account numbers, or your
mother's maiden name.
Note: Some reputable
companies might ask for your interests by having
you check certain boxes. This information should
not be required to complete the purchase.
The
Web site should use secure technology.
When you get to the screen where you enter your
credit card number or other personal
information, make sure the Web address begins
with https (for example, https://www.tailspintoys.com/)
and check to see if a tiny locked padlock
appears at the bottom right of the screen, as
shown in the following image.
Example of a Web site that uses https in
the address and a secure site lock icon
Update your Web browser. Internet
Explorer 7 includes improved security features
that make it easier to see which sites provide
more secure data exchange, so you can shop and
bank online with confidence. To learn more see
Internet Explorer 7: Help protect against
identity theft and more. Visit the
Internet Explorer Web site to download and
install the browser now.
Trust your instincts. If a site
matches all the criteria above, then there's a
good chance that the site is both legitimate and
reliable. But as with most things online or off,
if you get a bad feeling about a store, skip it
and shop somewhere else.
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