Safe Online Shopping
Security on the Internet
Shopping on the Internet can be just as safe as
shopping in a store or by mail. Just keep the
following tips in mind to help ensure that your
online shopping experience is a secure one.
Use a secure Web browser: Your browser should
support the most recent industry security
standards, namely data encryption such as
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL enables your
browser to encrypt or scramble the information
you send over the Internet, ensuring your
shopping transactions are secure. Most
computers come with a secure browser already
installed, and others are available online. Be sure
to visit your browser developer's Web site to
make sure the version you're using is secure.
Shop with companies you know: It's easy to set
up an online store under almost any name. If
you're not familiar with a merchant, ask for a
catalog or brochure to get a better idea of their
merchandise and services. You should also
determine the company's refund and return
policies before you place your order. These should
be posted on the company's Web site.
Use a safe password: Be creative when you
establish a password, and never give it out to
anyone. Avoid using a telephone number, birth
date, or a part of your Social Security number.
Instead, use a combination of numbers, letters,
and symbols.
Pay by credit or charge card: If you pay by credit
or charge card online, your transaction will be
protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this
law, you have the right to dispute charges under
certain circumstances and temporarily withhold
payment while the creditor is investigating them.
In the event of unauthorized use of your card,
you generally are responsible for only the first
$50 in charges. Some companies offer an online
shopping guarantee that ensures you won't be
held responsible for any unauthorized charges
made online, and some cards may provide
additional warranty, return, and/or purchase
protection benefits.
Keep a record: Be sure to print a copy of your
purchase order and confirmation number for your
records. You should also know that the federal
Mail/Telephone Order Merchandise Rule covers
online orders. This means that unless the
company states otherwise, your purchase must
be delivered within 30 days, or the company must
notify you of any delays.
Pay bills online only at secure sites: Some
companies let you pay bills and check your
account status online. Before you sign up for
these services, evaluate how the company
secures your financial and personal information.
One thing to look for is that the company's site
supports Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL
supports encryption or scrambling of private
information. When you move to the check-out
section of a site, the "http" in the address of the
site should change to "https," letting you know
you are working with a secure server. Browsers
such as Internet Explorer or Netscape will also
show a symbol in the lower left of the browser
window, such as a padlock or a key, letting you
know the server is secure. In addition, all
companies should explain their security
procedures on their Web sites. If you don't see
this information, contact the company and ask.
Privacy on the Internet
Technology now provides companies with the
ability to collect information about you and
potentially give or sell that information to others.
You can gain more control over your personal
information and safeguard your privacy online by
following these guidelines:
Keep your personal information private: Don't
disclose personal information—such as your
address, telephone number, Social Security
number or e-mail address—unless you know who
is collecting the information, why they are
collecting it, and how they will use it. For example,
you might be wary of a company if they ask for
your address or credit card number before you
have placed an order, or if they request your
Social Security number for ordinary shopping
transactions. And if you have children, teach
them to check with you before giving out this type
of information online.
Look for the online privacy policy: Many
companies post their privacy policies on their Web
sites. This policy should disclose what information
is being collected on the site and how that
information is being used. Before you provide a
company with any personal information, check its
privacy policy. If you can't find a policy, send an e-
mail or written message to the site about the
policy and request that it be posted on the site.
Make choices: Many companies give you a choice
on their Web sites as to how your personal
information is used or if it can be used at all.
These companies allow you to decline—or "opt
out" of—having personal information, such as e-
mail addresses, used for marketing purposes or
shared with other companies. You should look for
this choice as part of the company's privacy
policy.
Easy as ABC
When exploring companies online, an easy way to
remember the privacy and security questions you
should ask about a company is to remember your
ABCs:
A bout Me?
What information does the company collect about
me, and is it stored securely?
B enefits?
How does the company use my information, and
how does it benefit me?
C hoices?
What choices do I have about the way the
company uses my information? Can I opt out of
having information used for other purposes, and
how do I do that?
Shopping on the Internet can be just as safe as
shopping in a store or by mail. Just keep the
following tips in mind to help ensure that your
online shopping experience is a secure one.
Use a secure Web browser: Your browser should
support the most recent industry security
standards, namely data encryption such as
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL enables your
browser to encrypt or scramble the information
you send over the Internet, ensuring your
shopping transactions are secure. Most
computers come with a secure browser already
installed, and others are available online. Be sure
to visit your browser developer's Web site to
make sure the version you're using is secure.
Shop with companies you know: It's easy to set
up an online store under almost any name. If
you're not familiar with a merchant, ask for a
catalog or brochure to get a better idea of their
merchandise and services. You should also
determine the company's refund and return
policies before you place your order. These should
be posted on the company's Web site.
Use a safe password: Be creative when you
establish a password, and never give it out to
anyone. Avoid using a telephone number, birth
date, or a part of your Social Security number.
Instead, use a combination of numbers, letters,
and symbols.
Pay by credit or charge card: If you pay by credit
or charge card online, your transaction will be
protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this
law, you have the right to dispute charges under
certain circumstances and temporarily withhold
payment while the creditor is investigating them.
In the event of unauthorized use of your card,
you generally are responsible for only the first
$50 in charges. Some companies offer an online
shopping guarantee that ensures you won't be
held responsible for any unauthorized charges
made online, and some cards may provide
additional warranty, return, and/or purchase
protection benefits.
Keep a record: Be sure to print a copy of your
purchase order and confirmation number for your
records. You should also know that the federal
Mail/Telephone Order Merchandise Rule covers
online orders. This means that unless the
company states otherwise, your purchase must
be delivered within 30 days, or the company must
notify you of any delays.
Pay bills online only at secure sites: Some
companies let you pay bills and check your
account status online. Before you sign up for
these services, evaluate how the company
secures your financial and personal information.
One thing to look for is that the company's site
supports Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL
supports encryption or scrambling of private
information. When you move to the check-out
section of a site, the "http" in the address of the
site should change to "https," letting you know
you are working with a secure server. Browsers
such as Internet Explorer or Netscape will also
show a symbol in the lower left of the browser
window, such as a padlock or a key, letting you
know the server is secure. In addition, all
companies should explain their security
procedures on their Web sites. If you don't see
this information, contact the company and ask.
Privacy on the Internet
Technology now provides companies with the
ability to collect information about you and
potentially give or sell that information to others.
You can gain more control over your personal
information and safeguard your privacy online by
following these guidelines:
Keep your personal information private: Don't
disclose personal information—such as your
address, telephone number, Social Security
number or e-mail address—unless you know who
is collecting the information, why they are
collecting it, and how they will use it. For example,
you might be wary of a company if they ask for
your address or credit card number before you
have placed an order, or if they request your
Social Security number for ordinary shopping
transactions. And if you have children, teach
them to check with you before giving out this type
of information online.
Look for the online privacy policy: Many
companies post their privacy policies on their Web
sites. This policy should disclose what information
is being collected on the site and how that
information is being used. Before you provide a
company with any personal information, check its
privacy policy. If you can't find a policy, send an e-
mail or written message to the site about the
policy and request that it be posted on the site.
Make choices: Many companies give you a choice
on their Web sites as to how your personal
information is used or if it can be used at all.
These companies allow you to decline—or "opt
out" of—having personal information, such as e-
mail addresses, used for marketing purposes or
shared with other companies. You should look for
this choice as part of the company's privacy
policy.
Easy as ABC
When exploring companies online, an easy way to
remember the privacy and security questions you
should ask about a company is to remember your
ABCs:
A bout Me?
What information does the company collect about
me, and is it stored securely?
B enefits?
How does the company use my information, and
how does it benefit me?
C hoices?
What choices do I have about the way the
company uses my information? Can I opt out of
having information used for other purposes, and
how do I do that?
There's no doubt that great deals,
convenience, and choices abound
online. But before you take
advantage of all that the Internet has
to offer, take a minute to read the
following safe-shopping tips. You'll
learn how to be "cybersmart," and
get the most from your online
experience without putting yourself—
or your wallet—at risk.
convenience, and choices abound
online. But before you take
advantage of all that the Internet has
to offer, take a minute to read the
following safe-shopping tips. You'll
learn how to be "cybersmart," and
get the most from your online
experience without putting yourself—
or your wallet—at risk.
Call For Action Inc. (CFA): CFA is an international,
not-for-profit network of consumer hotlines affiliated
with local broadcast partners. The ABCs of Privacy,
which describes how consumers can protect their
personal privacy online, is available on the CFA site.
You also can contact Call For Action at 5272 River
Road, Suite 300, Bethesda, MD, 20816. Phone: (301)
657-8260.
The Consumer Information Center (CIC): CIC
publishes the Consumer Information Catalog, which
lists more than 200 publications from a variety of
federal agencies. The complete catalog is available
online, or you can also contact the CIC for a free
paper copy at Consumer Information Catalog,
Pueblo, CO 81009. Phone: (888) 8PUEBLO.
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA): The DMA is
a trade association of catalog companies, financial
services firms, publishers, book and music clubs,
online service companies, and others involved in
direct and database marketing. The DMA's Consumer
Line acts as an intermediary between consumers and
companies to resolve complaints. You can contact
the Consumer Line at 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite
1100, Washington, D.C. 20036 or by e-mail at
consumer@the-dma.org.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC's
Bureau of Consumer Protection strives to protect
consumers against unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent
practices. The FTC publishes brochures on topics such
as automobiles, credit, health and fitness,
investments, products, services and telemarketing.
The FTC's library of consumer publications is available
from the Internet, or you can contact the FTC at the
Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade
Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580. Phone:
toll-free at (877) FTC-HELP or TDD (202) 326-2502.
Project Open: Project OPEN is a partnership of the
Internet Alliance, the National Consumers League
and leading online and Internet companies geared to
helping consumers navigate our new global
community. Look for their brochures on online
privacy and getting the most out of the Internet.
SafeShopping.org: This informational site, created by
the American Bar Association, helps consumers order
safely when shopping online.
Bank and Credit Card Sites: The bank that issued your
card and your credit card company often provide a
wealth of information online about Web site security,
information collection and use, and how to protect
yourself when shopping online, as well as their own
shopping and security policies.
This information is brought to you by the Worldwide
E-Commerce Fraud Prevention Network. Visit our
Web site at http://www.merchantfraudsquad.com
not-for-profit network of consumer hotlines affiliated
with local broadcast partners. The ABCs of Privacy,
which describes how consumers can protect their
personal privacy online, is available on the CFA site.
You also can contact Call For Action at 5272 River
Road, Suite 300, Bethesda, MD, 20816. Phone: (301)
657-8260.
The Consumer Information Center (CIC): CIC
publishes the Consumer Information Catalog, which
lists more than 200 publications from a variety of
federal agencies. The complete catalog is available
online, or you can also contact the CIC for a free
paper copy at Consumer Information Catalog,
Pueblo, CO 81009. Phone: (888) 8PUEBLO.
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA): The DMA is
a trade association of catalog companies, financial
services firms, publishers, book and music clubs,
online service companies, and others involved in
direct and database marketing. The DMA's Consumer
Line acts as an intermediary between consumers and
companies to resolve complaints. You can contact
the Consumer Line at 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite
1100, Washington, D.C. 20036 or by e-mail at
consumer@the-dma.org.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC's
Bureau of Consumer Protection strives to protect
consumers against unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent
practices. The FTC publishes brochures on topics such
as automobiles, credit, health and fitness,
investments, products, services and telemarketing.
The FTC's library of consumer publications is available
from the Internet, or you can contact the FTC at the
Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade
Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580. Phone:
toll-free at (877) FTC-HELP or TDD (202) 326-2502.
Project Open: Project OPEN is a partnership of the
Internet Alliance, the National Consumers League
and leading online and Internet companies geared to
helping consumers navigate our new global
community. Look for their brochures on online
privacy and getting the most out of the Internet.
SafeShopping.org: This informational site, created by
the American Bar Association, helps consumers order
safely when shopping online.
Bank and Credit Card Sites: The bank that issued your
card and your credit card company often provide a
wealth of information online about Web site security,
information collection and use, and how to protect
yourself when shopping online, as well as their own
shopping and security policies.
This information is brought to you by the Worldwide
E-Commerce Fraud Prevention Network. Visit our
Web site at http://www.merchantfraudsquad.com
Aspiring Writers