Secure Online Shopping

How to Make your online shopping secure?

Shopping online
does carry some
risk, but so does
shopping at brick-
and-mortar
stores. At least online shoppers
don't need to
worry about fender-benders in the parking lot, pick pockets at the mall, or getting the flu from all those fellow shoppers.But the nice thing about shopping online is that by following some basic guidelines you can be reasonably sure you'll have a safe experience.

Secure your PC:

The first thing you need to do is be sure your
computer is secure. Trend Micro's education
director David Perry, says that "bad guys these days
are operating by planting a keylogger on your
system that listens in, surreptitiously waiting for you
to use your credit card or your bank password so that they can steal your money." So, even if you're
dealing with a legitimate merchant, you're at risk if
your computer is infected. Your best protection from
these attacks is to keep your operating system and
browsers updated and use a good and up-to-date
security program. If you're getting or giving a Netbook or other PC for the holidays, make sure
that security software is installed right away. Most
security companies offer a free-trial version that will
tide you over for a month or so, but be sure to
subscribe so you get ongoing protection.

Click with care:

You're going to be getting a lot of offers via e-mail
this holiday season. While they might be legitimate,
there is the possibility of some offers coming from
criminals trying to trick you into giving your
password to a rogue site or visiting a site that can
put malicious software on your computer. Your best protection is to not click on any links--even if the
message looks legitimate--but to type in the
merchant's URL manually.

Know the Merchant:

If you're not familiar with the merchant, do a little
research like typing its name (and perhaps the word
"scam") into a search engine to see if there are any
reports of scams. Look for user reviews on sites
likeEopinions.com. Look for seller ratings if you
locate the merchant through a shopping search engine likeGoogle Shopping.

Pay by credit card:

Credit cards offer you an extra level of protection
including the right to "charge back" if you feel you're
a victim of fraud. The credit company will investigate
your claim and permanently remove the charge if
fraud can be proven.

Know the Real price:

Be sure you understand the actual cost of the item,
including shipping, handling, and sales tax. That can
have an enormous impact on the final price.
Read Policy
The policy, according to the American Bar
Association'sSafeshopping.org, should disclose "what information the seller is gathering about you, how
the seller will use this information; and whether and
how you can "opt out" of these practices."

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