So you want to go out and shop at a virtual store – I.e. on a web site. How do you shop “safely”? That is, how do you purchase on the Internet and make sure that you don’t get ripped off?
Here are a few bits of advice to make your Internet shopping experience safer and more enjoyable:
1. Set up a separate “shopping” email box that you use solely for your shopping activities (I.e. receiving confirmation and tracking information, sending emails to customer service, etc.) That way, your shopping emails will not get lost in your mailbox and any spam you receive as a result of your shopping activities will not fill up your personal mailbox.
2. Keep your communications on the web site protected (I.e. encrypted). Encrypted information is hard for the “bad guys” to intercept, decrypt and then use for the purpose of ripping you off. Make sure you only send personal information if the web site address starts with https:” or you see a closed padlock in the lower part of the screen. These indicate that you have to go through a validated sign-on procedure and your personal information is protected via encryption.
3. Pay for your purchases with a credit card. This limits your financial liability if you are ripped off.
