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