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Online Shopping Shopping on the web is convenient, and you can buy just about anything online, but beware of the risks. You must be on the lookout for the many fraudulent web sites trying to separate you from your cash. You can feel safer about buying online if you take the precautions listed below. Learn to Recognize Phishing E-mail. Well-known companies are generally safe because they have a reputation to uphold and cannot afford to drive customers away by questionable or insecure practices. That being said, be aware of the practice of “phishing,” where scammers send you e-mail that links to fraudulent web sites that look virtually identical to the sites of legitimate, well-known businesses and organizations. Any time you receive a request for cash or personal information such as a credit card, bank account or social security number, and you did not originate the contact, you can be sure it is a scam. (Get more information in the Phishing article.) Investigate first, if you want to purchase an item from a source unknown to you. Consult the Better Business Bureau. Keep in mind, however, that BBB does not recommend any businesses or organizations, it can only let you know if it has received any complaints about them. A company could be operating in an unethical manner, but unless someone had lodged a complaint against it, it would not show up in the BBB’s database. Use a 128-bit web browser. Many companies and all banks require 128-bit encryption transactions for added security in handling sensitive information like credit cards and account numbers. To add this extra level of security to your online transactions, make sure you're using a 128-bit web browser. Set the Alerts (under Preferences/Security) in your web browser to warn you when you are entering a page that is secure, or not secure, or when submitting a form that is not secure. Many web browsers also use a symbol such as an unbroken lock or key to indicate that you have a secure connection. Use third-party payment services (with caution). When you buy or sell on the Internet, you have the option of using third-party payment services, such as PayPal. In general these sites function as intermediaries between buyers and sellers, holding payments until goods are received as expected. If you use one of these services, make sure you know your rights. As tedious as it may be, read the terms and conditions in the fine print, which may include severe restrictions on your ability to recover funds from fraudulent transactions or leave you vulnerable to having your credit card account frozen. Look for an SSL Certificate or a lock icon on secure websites that indicate the site is employing security encryption for its transactions. Reserve one credit card solely for online shopping. To ensure that no unexpected purchases have been charged to your account, carefully review your monthly credit card statements, and if you can view the statement online, check it every few days. Keep a record of all your online purchases. Write down dates, items, quantities, prices, credit card used, and any other pertinent information. Check vendors' policies on shipping, refunds and returns. Do they impose restocking fees if you return an item? Do they replace defective or damaged items, or let you exchange them at a local store, if available? Do they require authorization numbers? Use a secure webmail site if you must use public computers or share your computer with another person. Webmail services such as OSU Webmail, Yahoo! or Hotmail provide more privacy when you are conducting confidential transactions. Webmail eliminates the need to download e-mail to the computer, but there is the tradeoff of having your e-mail address vulnerable to “harvesters.” See Spam and Privacy articles for more information. Do comparision shopping to get the best deal, both with local merchants and online vendors. A few good sites to check for price and consumer ratings are pricegrabber.com, pricescan.com, www.bizrate.com and www.pricingcentral.com. Take the time to review the helpful information on Internet fraud and phishing provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, the Anti-Phishing Working Group, and the Business Software Alliance's Play it Cyber Safe web site. |
Quick Tips Try to ensure that you are dealing only with reputable vendors on their authentic web sites Set your web browser to check for secure pages to warn you when you are entering a page that is secure or not secure, or when submitting a form that is not secure Reserve one credit card solely for online shopping Use OSU Webmail to add another level of security when communicating on financial or confidential transactions |
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