Mon 3 Dec 2007
Computer World has an article today with a great list of online Christmas shopping safety tips. Here’s what they suggest you do to keep your online shopping safe this Christmas.
- Only shop with online merchants you know and trust
- Order from secure websites. When you reach the stage where you have to enter any personal information look for a locked padlock or unbroken key icon next to the address bar (unsecured sites may show an unlocked padlock or a broken key). Here is what the locked padlock looks like in Internet Explorer 7.
- Keep printouts of everything. This includes copies of your order; web pages describing what you ordered; web pages that tell the seller’s name, address and telephone number; and any email confirmations you get. If the date does not appear on any of these printouts write this on them as well.
- Use just one credit card for online purchases. This can make it easier to detect wrongful charges.
- Don’t give out unnecessary information.
- Don’t send your credit card information by email
- Don’t give out your password to e-commerce sites to anyone
- Don’t give out your bank information, no one needs it for an online order
- Double check every website address. For more information on what to look for to identify a Phishing scam click here.
- Don’t click on links within emails. Type the website address yourself, very carefully.
- Remember that if the deal seems too good to be true it probably is.