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Use Credit or PayPal
Most online retailers require a credit card or a credit card endorsed debit card (like a Visa CheckCard) in order to make a purchase. However, some sites will allow you to pay with your checking account. It's best to run transactions as credit. As we covered last week, credit card companies offer more protection against fraud than many banks.
Use only reputable sites
When buying anything online, it is important to make sure you're buying it from a well known and well respected seller. That means either from the website of a store, preferably one with a location near you in case something goes wrong, or from sites like Amazon and eBay. On any website there should be information on how to contact customer service, and it should be more than just an email address.
Special Note: When purchasing items on eBay or Amazon, be sure to notice where it is being shipped from if you want to get it in time for Christmas. Some places ship from Hong Kong or Japan and it can take up to 2 months for your item to come in.
Use Secure Sites
If you're making a purchase online, you should be on a secure site. How can you tell it's a secure site? There are two ways to know if the site you're on is secure. The address will start with https:// with the "s" signifying secure. There will also be a small padlock on the bar. These indicators may only show up when you start to checkout, but if they are not on the page it's best to avoid entering any personal information.
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Use Common Sense
As we said last week, like most things in life, common sense can be your best defense.
- Don't use sites that do not have a good reputation
- When making purchases, sites should never ask for social security numbers.
- Check your bank account before and after you shop and monitor it closely for a few days after.
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