I do a lot of shopping online. I enjoy the convenience, and the lack of crowds, but mostly I can find almost anything I want online. Many are wary of shopping online because of the security risk. Security is a huge issue when purchasing online, but there are many things you can do to ensure your security.
I have been order online for about 10 years now, and have had no identity theft or financial issues. Others have not been so lucky, which is why it is important to know what you can do to keep yourself protected. In this post I outline many steps you can take to ensure your personal information stays safe when you shop online.
Staying Safe When Shopping Online
The following tips should help you to keep your private information secure when shopping online. While this list isn’t exhaustive, it does provide some of the most common tips.
- Shop only at trusted and secured Web sites. There are a few things you can check in your browser to ensure the Web site is secure.
- Ensure the Web site address begins with “https://”. Many times this will not be displayed until you begin the ordering process.
- Web browser will display a closed padlock icon when you are on a secure site. Make sure this padlock is displayed. For Firefox this icon is located at the bottom in the status bar, while in IE it is located next to the address bar.
- Ensure you read both the privacy and security policies of the Web site. These policies will outline how your order will be processed and how your information will be managed. If you aren’t comfortable with the policies, then order your item from another site. Also keep in mind that policies can change, so make sure you read the most current version.
- If you are asked to create a user name and password before ordering, ensure you create a very strong password. A strong password should be long, at least 8 characters, and should contain letters, numbers and punctuation. Some sites may not allow punctuation, but all should at least allow letters and numbers.
- In addition to the previous point, always keep your password private and secure. Don’t save your password where it can easily be read. Online stores and financial institutions will never ask you for your password, so if receive an e-mail asking for your password, don’t share it.
- If you have a PayPal account, and are able to use it to pay for your item, do it. This will help keep your credit card information more secure as you won’t use it online as frequently. With PayPal, you simply use your e-mail address and password to log in to their site to pay for your item.
- Don’t visit questionable sites. Many sites can install viruses, spyware, and other malware that can run in the background of your computer. These programs can monitor your keystrokes, control your browser, and send information to other Web sites. Ensure you run an antivirus and anti-malware program on a regular basis to ensure you computer is clean.
- Above all else, if you don’t feel comfortable with ordering online from a particular Web site, don’t do it.
If you have any tips, just let me know in the comments.