According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 70 percent of Americans who use the internet have purchased a product online. While the internet can make shopping from home quick and convenient, consumers may be unwittingly making it convenient for thieves to steal their personal information. Sally Greenberg from the National Consumers League (NCL) offers some simple advice for you to keep in mind when shopping online.
- Always be sure to look at the address bar of your browser: if you see “https” or “shttp” in the URL, you’ll know that your computer’s connection to the site is secure.
- Don’t fall for pop-up boxes that ask for your personal information. A legitimate company won’t ask for your private info this way.
- Make sure to read privacy policies, and know the return policy for the merchant.
- Use a credit card. Credit card companies have fraud departments and can help protect your interests when making online purchases, and they can help you get your money back if you get scammed.
Check out the NCL’s site for more ways to protecting your personal information while shopping online.
Additionally, check out fraud.org and fakechecks.org, which have plenty of information on the many different types of scams you should watch out for, both on and off-line.
4 Comments on "Outsmart Scammers: Stay Secure When Shopping Online"
cascade
great help here.! Also we use the store bought cards You buy the amount you want, with a small fee, and no one can take anymore from you than what would be on the purchased card. NEVER…PLEASE… NEVER use your bank card. You could end up with overdraft fees that will horrify you, been there, not very happy about it.
elisaparker
Shopping fast and buying smart? Getting all your shoppiung done without leaving your home has become available. Online shopping has everything from fans and bloses.But despite all advantages of online shopping, sometimes it can be risky.
Nancy Robinson
I use internet shopping for as many things as I can. It is a huge time saver, and wonderful for a woman living alone. Saves me lugging boxes, bags, furniture, you name it. I only shop on sites that I trust, namely the big sites like e-bay, Costco, Sears, and the other large companies that are online.
Shopping in a store can be risky, as well as online. You could leave you card at the counter, the salesperson could swipe it through one of those machines they use to copy your data, etc.
Learn as much as you can about protecting yourself and your information online, just as you would about protecting yourself from theft while shopping on site. If in doubt,
Charity
Brilliant tips..! I always keep those tips in mind when shopping online.
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