Online Shopping Safety

Don’t you love the convenience of online shopping? You can just stay home while doing your shopping on the Internet; no need to dress-up and drive and the best part is, it is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

In This Article:

Introduction to Online Shopping
Online Shopping Tips
Reporting Online Shopping Fraud

It’s fun to shop online because you can check other sites to compare prices. Most of the time, online-stores offer a lot of promotions to encourage people to buy from them. But how sure are you that your privacy and information are safe when shopping online? To ensure an enjoyable and safe online shopping, you will need to take some precautionary measures.

Here are some tips to consider:

DO YOUR RESEARCH– Make sure you investigate.

• Check the seller’s contact information, such as physical address, phone number and company name, if applicable. It is very important to have this information so you can contact them for any questions or issues.
• Read reviews about the seller, if available in order to familiarize yourself with the way the seller does business. So you know what to expect.
• If reviews are not available, be sure to check the seller’s return and exchange policy.

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BUYING

• Read the entire product description carefully, including the fine print.
• Calculate the total cost by adding taxes and shipping fees to the price of the item you want to purchase.

CHECK THE WEBSITE’S SECURITY

• Be sure that the site is secure before entering your credit card or any financial information.
• Look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a website that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for “secure”).
• Do not enter any financial information if the site is not secure.

PAY BY CREDIT CARD

• This is the safest way to shop online.
• By using your credit card you will be protected under the Fair Credit Billing Act. This gives you the right to dispute charges for goods and services that you did not order, never received or misrepresented to you. You will be able to temporarily withhold your payment while the creditor is investigating the situation.
• Avoid sending cash or wiring funds because it will be very difficult to get your money back in case something goes wrong with the transaction.

PRINT AND SAVE THE RECEIPT

• It is very important for you to have a record of your online transaction.
• The receipt will serve as your proof of purchase. You will need this for returns, exchanges or any issues pertaining to your order.

How to report an online shopping fraud:

If you encounter any problems or issues with your online shopping, contact the seller. If the seller does not cooperate with you and the issue was not resolved, you have every right to file a complaint with the following agencies:

1. 1. Your local Attorney General’s office. To find out your state Attorney’s General’s contact information, click here.
   2. Your county or state consumer protection agency. You can check the blue pages of the phone book under county and state government.
   3. The Better Business Bureau
   4. The Federal Trade Commission

Related Articles:

• Money Saving Tips For Seniors
• How To Avoid Identity Theft
• Spam Scams
• Tips When Using Public Computers
  

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