Online Shopping: 10 Tips For Safe Online Shopping

Have you ever bought a product or service from thephone or request them by e-mail.Personal information
internet?Yes? Me too. You're not alone...Some of theincludes: your address, e-mail address, phone number,
reasons why most people are shopping online are:social security number, drivers license, age, information
they can buy anything at anytime because Internetabout your family.Don't give them to any stranger and,
shopping is available 24 hours, all the time.You canalso, teach your children not to do so.(4) Keep your
shop from the convenience of your home. You canpasswords private.When creating a password, avoid
avoid traffic and crowding at the malls.Online shoppingusing phone numbers, birth dates or social security
is one of the best ways to locate hard-to-find itemsnumbers.Be creative. Use a password that is not easy
not available in your local stores.Whatever you buyfor others to guess, and yet not easy for you to
can be delivered by mail to your house.Most onlineforget.Change your passwords often. Use phrases to
stores and companies provide excellent values andhelp you remember them.Don't disclose passwords to
discount prices because they do not have to pay theanyone.(5) Use a credit (but never debit) card to make
overhead of owning a physical business that will costyour payment.Be sure to keep all credit card payment
them insurance, employee pay, taxes andreceipts. Check your credit card account statements
more.VeriSign, Inc. says that online sales recordedto be able to spot any unauthorized charges.When
during the prime holidays shopping season was aboutyou buy certain goods and services from some
$2.2 billion dollars.According to a study by Forrestercompanies, sometimes they will keep billing you
Research Company, by 2010, online sales will reachthereafter. So scrutinize your statements. If you see a
$331 billion dollars.More consumers are shopping onlinecharge you're not sure of, call the billing merchant and
today than a year ago. The range of products theycheck it out.Keep your credit cards secure.Avoid
buy are many: software, hardware, electronics, digitalmaking a payment using your credit card on a public
products, music, toys, e-books, books, programs, DVD,computer.Report any lost credit cards immediately and
flowers, pets, jewelry, clothes, air tickets, insurance,have them cancelled. Don't give anyone that you don't
cars, prescription drugs, comic books, games, gifts andknow your credit card number.(6) Read the return
more.They are flocking to buy from online bookstores,policy before placing an order.Be sure that you read
software stores, online computer stores, target stores,and understand the return policy and warranty.(7)
pet stores, liquor stores, drug stores, music stores,Read and understand the company's privacy
furniture stores, fabric stores, the Disney store, outletstatement (or policy).A privacy statement tells you
stores, surplus stores, discount stores, thrift stores, gifthow and why a business is collecting your information,
stores, candy stores, lingerie stores, sports stores,and how that information may be used.
video stores, sex stores, department stores, gameYou may find the company's privacy statement (or
stores, clothing stores and others.Be a smart andpolicy) at the very bottom of the home page or inside
savvy online shopper. Shop wisely and safely.Here aretheir "Terms & Conditions" or "Terms of Service"
a few tips to help you do your online shopping safely.(1)(TOS).(8) Use a secure browser and server.Be sure
Shop at the websites of companies that you knowwhatever browser you're using complies with the
and are popular offline.If you're not sure of theindustry's security standards, such as secure sockets
company, request their catalog or brochure first.Belayer (SSL).This security protocol scrambles or
sure they have a physical address and phone, as wellencrypts the personal information you send over the
as an e-mail address. Call them and speak to a humanInternet to ensure your transaction is secured.How do
being first.Check with the yellow pages and the Betteryou know if the server is secure where you're making
Business Bureaus to be sure the company isa payment?If a Web site is using secure technology,
legitimate.Read all the fine print and the refund policyits Web address begins with https and a tiny locked
before you place an order.You may read aboutpadlock appears at the bottom right corner of the
product reviews and what other shoppers have toscreen.(9) Check out a few stores and compare
say about a company at:prices before buying.
are some internet shopping agents' sites:Look for hidden costs such as shipping and
read about reviews on shopping stores, regardinghandling.(10) Use Yahoo Search Engine for all your
ease of use, pricing, selection and service go to:searches.Yahoo continues to be, not only the largest
, read about web business frauds and get help toonline company, but also, the best Search Engine.Unlike
avoid being a victim, go to:the other popular Search engine, which keeps
, , Keep a record of all your purchases.Most peoplecompanies in a sandbox for many months and
are by nature disorganized and unable to keeprefuses to give them rankings for many months,
records. Learn to keep records of all your onlineYahoo is pro business and gives immediate rankings to
purchases. This will help you keep track of yourcompanies and business.Their search result is also
spending and shopping.Print all receipts or save themexcellent. That may be one reason why 60% of
on your computer in a folder named "receipts".This willpeople online (including me) love Yahoo.Also, they have
help you locate orders that you placed but were neverthe most reliable and the best hosting service in the
delivered.The more organized you are the lessworld.For these reasons, I strongly recommend you
negative online shopping experience you'll have.(3)use Yahoo to do all your searches.Happy and safe
Keep all your important personal information safe.Don'tonline shopping.
give them to strangers who may call you over the