A Guide to Online Shopping Services
(Risk Mitigation)
Use a secure browser. Your browser should comply with industry security standards such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Make sure that this is in place before entering any confidential data.
Shop with companies that you know and trust. Read user reviews of their experience with the vendor. This may be your only way to assess the seller in auction sites, so be careful and ask the seller questions, before you bid on any item.
Pay by credit or charge card. It will be protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this law, you have the right to dispute charges. In the event of unauthorized use of your card, your liability is generally limited to the first $50.
Keep a record/copy of your purchase order and confirmation number for future reference in the event of any dispute.
Review the company privacy statement and make sure that your personal information cannot be shared without your permission.
Be suspicious. When a deal sound too good to be true, assume it is bogus!
Make sure your firewall is on and that you have anti-spyware installed.
Don't make purchases over a wireless network (WIFI).
Think twice before patronizing new merchants that have no rating. Sellers with zero feedback may be a bigger risk than those who are known to be on the up and up.
Consider installing spoofstick on your computer. This toolbar, once installed, will help detect a fake website. Go to http://www.spoofstick.com/ to install this tool. It is currently only available for PC users.