Shop Online SafelyThe following guide will help internet shoppers to shop online safely and securely. It will help online shoppers to take all the precautionary measures to avoid buying goods that are either not delivered to their homes, and if delivered does not match the description of the selected product. Furthermore, this article will assist online shoppers to protect their credit or debit card from online frauds. Step 1: Deal with trustworthy and reputable sellers Do not judge a company by its web site. As always, look for their physical address to make sure that the company has a physical presence. It’s even better to ask the seller questions either through email or phone, and wait to see how promptly they respond. Always read their privacy and return policy online, and prefer sellers that has clear return and shipping policies. Also, take extra cautionary steps while buying from overseas companies. Step 2: Use a secure website for payments Always purchase from a seller who uses secure payment method online, and offers some sort of recourse if something goes wrong. In order to know whether the web site or payment is secure, look for a padlock symbol in the bottom right of the browser window, whereas the website address must begin with ‘https://’. Padlock symbol indicates that an encrypted (SSL) connection is used to communicate between online shopper and the selling site, and that the selling site has a valid certificate. Online criminals often copy the image of a padlock on the web page itself, therefore online shoppers must look for a padlock that resides in the window frame of the browser itself. They should also click on the padlock to check that the seller is who they say they are, and that their certificate is current and registered to the right address. Step 3: Beware of phishing Phishing, is the latest phenomena employed by online criminals to gather financial and personal information of a user to conduct fraud or identity theft. Phishing emails looks like it comes from your bank, credit card company, online auction company or other legitimate business. Here is a guide on how to prevent phishing and identity theft.
Related Resource:To learn more on financial safety on the internet visit: Senior Computer Help - Financial Safety.
|