Financial Advisor

With the holiday season right around the corner, it is right about the time to start thinking about how to deal with the mad rush of shopping malls this holiday season. Every year more and more people turn to online shopping as an alternative to standing outside in the freezing cold on Black Friday, or fighting soccer moms in the mall to see who gets the last _____(insert holiday craze). With the increase in online shopping users also find increased privacy risks, including higher potential for identity theft and other cyber crimes. It is important to stay safe while connected to the world of e-commerce and ensure that you are not the next victim of ID theft. The following tips have been compiled through various Internet resources and present various ways to shop safely this holiday season and beyond.

First of all do your homework. If a site seems suspicious or too good to be true, then it just might be. Research a site before you hand them your money. Make sure they have contact information including e-mail, physical address, and phone number listed on their site so you know where to turn if you have an issue, or else find another site to shop with. Read the site’s privacy policy and make sure it is up to par. If something doesn’t seem right contact the sites operators and talk to them about it; they should be willing to help. Don’t be afraid to walk away from a good deal if something doesn’t seem right. If anything you find on the website worries you then it is better to use your better judgment and shop elsewhere. You may be wrong and the site may be totally legit, but why take the unnecessary risk? More people have access to your information in a bricks and mortar store than online through an e-commerce site. Be knowledgeable about your surroundings and know which sites you are visiting. Don’t let pop-ups or special offers take you away from the main site. Also, make sure you see https:// in the navbar when you are ready to make a purchase. This means you are on a secured network.

The bigger the name the more protection a store can offer you. The super sized electronics and department stores have more resources to devote to identity theft protection and online privacy. Along with the financial aspect, these stores put their reputation on the line if they are involved in shady business practices or are continually having information stolen off their websites. Sometimes you prefer to shop with a local retailer and support small business instead of using the industry giants. In this case the Better Business Bureau is there to help you find trustworthy businesses that you can safely do business with. A company that is registered with the BBB shows that they are serious about doing quality business with you. You should also know your return policy. Make sure you know about the return policy, specifically: what condition do items need to be returned in and how long after the purchase do you have to return the item. Be wary if the products or stores have no return policy because then you are stuck with your purchase.

Also, you should never shop on a public or shared computer. Unless it is the house computer and you share it with family, never enter personal information. Everything you do on a computer is stored somewhere, whether on the hard drive or Internet registry files. Do you want someone to have your credit card information because you decided to shop from work or the library? Make your passwords very complex so they are not easy to guess. Your password should have a combination of Upper- and lower-cased letters as well as numbers. Some sites also allow you to use special characters such as @#$%, so try some of them out as well. When shopping online it is important to use a credit card and not a debit card. Debit cards are linked directly to your bank account; therefore you are liable to lose everything you have if your information is stolen. Most credit card companies only hold you responsible for $50 or so if you file a report in a timely manner. Credit cards offer greater protection and should definitely be used over your bank account. To further protect yourself, use online account number services or virtual account numbers. Most of the big credit card companies offer this service, which allows you to mask your real credit card number while making purchases.

Finally, make sure your personal computer is protected. Keep your anti-virus and spyware software updated regularly. Viruses and malware are always trying to stay one step ahead of the latest technology and can easily infiltrate an outdated system. If you plan on doing any online shopping, a private proxy server will be very beneficial. You can surf anonymously without any websites or search engines tracking your information (such as items you viewed or searched for) and anonymous proxy surfing also allows you to maintain an encrypted Internet connection for more security. Protecting personal information and minimizing any privacy risks should always be your main focus when using the Internet, especially when shopping online. Other options to consider also include: using separate, or throw away, e-mail addresses for online shopping. These e-mails are free and can be created rather easily through Google or Yahoo. After your online purchase you should receive an e-mail detailing your purchase with a confirmation number and require no action on your part. Never respond to e-mails asking you to confirm your recent transaction since they are most likely phishing attempts.

E-commerce is easily becoming the preferred method of shopping for many people. It is easier to compare prices through various outlets and not have to hassle with the holiday shopping crowd at a bricks-and-mortar retailer. Finding the best deal has become almost effortless, but cyber criminals are evolving just as rapidly as technology allows them to. Implementing these tips in your shopping routine will help you maintain privacy while surfing the Internet and protect you against identity theft. Even though holiday shopping is stressful enough, it could be so much worse if your private information falls into the wrong hands.

Tino Bruno is the Internet Marketing Specialist for award-winning software developer Privacy Partners. He has been with Privacy Partners since college and strives to ensure all computer users maintain their Internet privacy and online safety. Come visit Privacy Partners for more information on staying protected while surfing the Internet.

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Safe Holiday Shopping by Tino Bruno