Ellen PhillipsQ. I’m planning to do some online shopping for holiday gifts. What precautions should I take? – Sarah Safety
A. Dear Ms. Safety: Online shopping can be a safe and happy experience, especially if you wish to avoid the hordes of shoppers in the malls and shopping centers. According to Consumer Reports, you’re far from alone in this type of purchasing: more than 167 million customers are expected to shop via this medium by the end of the year. You’re wise to take measures to protect your identity and credit card information, so here go a few suggestions:
• Shop from home. Public computers are often unsecure and expose you to risks of fraud and identity theft.
• Be sure to shop at secure websites. Check to see the “s” follows the “http” (https) which means the merchants’ order page is protected. The site is also safe if you see a closed padlock or a key symbol at the bottom of the page.
• Review privacy policies. It’s always better to take a few moments to read the critical info than to regret not doing so later on. Shop with merchants who are members of the BBBOnline, TRUSTe, or Verisign, all of which set guidelines for privacy-related practices which are the best ones for shopping online.