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I can remember when I did my first online purchase. I was really nervous about the outcome. I can’t remember what I purchased, but I’m sure it was small. I straggled behind other people when it came to online shopping. That’s because I knew things that they didn’t. I knew that there are potential issues surrounding online purchases. Many of those problems have been illustrated in the last few years as identity theft and fraud have risen. But you can avoid many of those pitfalls by following a few tips.
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Shopping Deals Email Phishing
You undoubtedly get a lot of email about shopping deals. Some can be trusted and some can’t. Christmas always brings out the phishing attacks. Let me explain what phishing attacks do. They send you to a site that you think is a legitimate site, but it isn’t. Maybe you think it’s an eBay deal that is going to take you to an eBay site. Well, you click on the eBay link and your browser opens up and behold, it’s eBay. But if this is a phishing email, it really isn’t eBay! I’m not going to go into how that could happen. Just know that there are ways to mask true websites. This way, when you go to check out, the criminal now has your credit card information. An easy way to avoid this is to never click on a link from an email. See where it is trying to take you. Open up your browser manually. Enter the web address and search for the item. You could also get the latest version of Firefox. It has anti-phishing built in. You can read about that here. That post also includes a link to test your browser’s ability to spot phishing attacks.
Debit Card Bad - Credit Card Good
You can dispute credit card purchases. That’s one of the things that makes it so great. If you purchase something using a debit card, and the retailer rips you off, you will have a hard time getting your money back.
Beware of Too Good to Be True
We are all on the search for great deals around the holiday. But sometimes a great deal can be a great ripoff. This is especially true in the area of online auctions. Just be sure that if you choose to go after a high priced item that is at an incredible price, that you use an escrow company of your choosing. This will protect you in the purchase.
Reputation is Everything
The internet is a great place to gather information about an online store. If you are in doubt about a purchase, search around the internet for feedback about the retailer. Chances are that if many people have had bad purchases you will find feedback about it. You can also check out the Better Business Bureau to see the company’s reputation and standing. Also check out the Federal Trade Commission. They regularly report on the status of retailers and any fraudulent activity.
A Secure Connection
If the retailer doesn’t use a web address that starts with “https,” also depicted by a small lock in the lower right corner of your browser, when collecting your private information - don’t use them. Be advised that some retailers allow you to browse stores on non-secure pages (http). But when they ask for your credit card and other personal information, make sure they are using a secure page. I don’t think I have ever run across one that didn’t, but I’m sure they’re out there. This keeps your information safe during the transaction.
Email Isn’t Secure
Never email your credit card or other personal information such as a social security number. Email is not secure and someone could see that information contained in the email.
Separate Credit Cards
Try to use a separate credit card for online purchases. This will make monitoring your card easy. Review your credit card statement frequently for any strange charges.
Virus and Spyware Protection
It might seem strange to include virus and spyware protection in the same post about online shopping. But viruses and spyware can have keylogger payloads. Keyloggers allow malicious people to view your keystrokes. And that could be really bad if you are doing online shopping. They could pick up on that credit card number and start spending. Make sure yours is up to date as well. I don’t know how many times I look at someone’s computer and they virus protection, but their virus definitions are not up to date.
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Here’s another tip: use Bill Me Later as a payment option when you can. At checkout, you just click on “Bill Me Later”, fill in a simple form with just two questions, and that’s it! Your purchase is paid for and you get a bill in the mail a few weeks later. Without giving out any credit card or sensitive information. I just started using it regularly because I recently started working for Bill Me Later, and I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first. But it is so simple and quick. I’m not just writing this because I now work there. I really believe it’s a great way to shop quickly and securely online. Check out www.billmelater.com
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People are crawling shopping malls all around the world buying holiday gifts. Thinking about what to buy for my friends and family a found an interesting article about market research in the holiday season ( http://www.huliq.com/526/e-poll-market-research-provides-holiday-information ).