Five Tips for Safer Online Purchases
The Wall Street Journal reports that online shopping is growing six times the rate of traditional retail shopping. Shoppers like the convenience and variety of online shopping. With the season to be jolly fast arriving, make sure you there’s no folly in your online shopping ways.
Here’s few tips you need to remember and apply
[highlight color=”yellow, black”]…[/highlight]Before entering credit card numbers or any personal information, take a look at the URL address in the browser. Make sure it starts with “https” – not “http.” The latter indicates that the site may not be securely encrypted. Another clue is found at the bottom of the page. A closed padlock or an unbroken key symbol – indicates encrypted.
[highlight color=”yellow”]…[/highlight]If you’re unfamiliar with the seller or vendor, do a little customer review searching, like Epinions.com and Bizrate.com. Also, look for merchants that display seals of approval, like TRUSTe, Verisign or BBB online. These organizations set privacy guidelines and best practices.
[highlight color=”yellow”]…[/highlight]Don’t use your debit card if you don’t have to. Federal guideline now protect card far better – limit caps out at $50. A hacker that has your debit card information could clean out your bank account in two minutes.
[highlight color=”yellow”]…[/highlight]Don’t shop from a library, coffee shop provided or any public computer – ever. Shop using your own computer. Thieves could have installed Malware and can capture all your information and then secretly connect to your computer and clean you out. Shop from home.
[highlight color=”yellow”]…[/highlight]As a matter of good practice, always check account activity on your credit card statement and bank account online. Some online buyer dedicate just one credit card to online purchasing.
If you’ve been hacked and someone abused your credit card or gotten into your account, report the incident immediately to the credit rating agencies, an officer at your bank and the police department. Drop whatever you doing and attend to this pronto.
