Online shopping is big business. According to one study, during the Christmas season, American shoppers buy approximately 25 percent of their holiday goods online. But with so many people now taking the step to shop online, online frauds like phishing are becoming as common. Internet shopping can be a safe and pleasant experience provided you take some basic precautions.

Get ready for shopping action

It’s your money at stake, so it pays to make sure that your online shopping experience is as safe as possible. Going online without any safety awareness or security software is nowadays a bit like deliberately jumping into shark-infested waters. Before spending any money, it’s essential to make sure that your computer, Internet connection and web browser are all as secure as possible.

CenturyLink’s free PC Health Check pinpoints the possible security vulnerabilities on your PC and helps to make sure your system stays in good shape. If you do discover some problems and the constantly evolving world of Internet threats is not quite your area of expertise, then be sure to install a security program on your computer. Software like CenturyLink™ Online Security keeps you protected and automatically updates your computer’s defences, wherever your online shopping expedition takes you.

Now focus for a moment on the Internet connection that brings the world’s marketplace to your computer screen. Remember that it’s always risky to send personal information over the unsecured wireless networks found in cafés, libraries, airports or other local Hotspots. Messages sent over unsecured networks can be intercepted by outsiders. So before whipping out the credit card to complete a purchase, make sure you are on a secured broadband connection at home or work, or log on to a secured wireless network that requires a user name and password.

Safe computer, safe connection, safe browser

The third preventive safety measure is to ensure that your Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or whatever browser you are using to surf the net, is up to date. Browsers without the latest security updates are vulnerable to attack by hackers and other malware merchants trying get inside your computer. Clicking on the update bubbles from Microsoft, Mozilla or other browser vendors helps to keep the baddies out. It’s that simple.

Safe browsing

With all online sites, remember to look for the padlock symbol on the browser to show that your personal details are protected. The padlock indicates that the browser is running SSL, or Secure Socket Layer, which is a software tool which ensures that information sent to or from a website cannot be viewed during transmission. It does so by using a public and private key encryption system. Websites that do not use security technology (e.g. SSL, the browser padlock) may leave your personal information open for anyone who might wish to intercept the communication.

In all online shopping transactions be sure to get the supplier’s mailing address and telephone number. If the seller only has an email address and no postal address, be immediately suspicious. Always try to use legitimate sites like eBay and PayPal but be careful even when using these – phishing scams can often provide convincing online fake sites that can separate you from your money.

Logging onto an online retail channel usually requires you to fill out a form listing your personal details. If you are assured that the site is legitimate, fill in only those fields that are required. And when submitting your email address, read the small print – most sites assure you that your email address will not be distributed forward making you the recipient of spam, but be sure to check.

Safe passwords

Also remember to use a password that is considered safe. Avoid anything with obvious associations like familiar names or any dictionary words – both are easy for a hacker to figure out. An ideal password should be at least eight characters long and include a mixture of uppercase, lowercase, numerals and other characters. Some passwords are automatically required to be changed after a specified period but it is good practice to change them every three months.

Safe habits save money

Never, ever, buy anything advertised in a spam message. Junk mail offers that seem too good to be true are usually exactly that. They are scams designed to steal your personal details, to infect your computer with nasty stuff like spyware, and to part you from your money. Clicking on attachments or links in spam messages is simply asking for trouble. Also watch out for bogus messages asking you to verify your eBay, PayPal or online banking details. Reputable companies will never do that, so delete all such requests.

Although most transactions online are paperless, it pays to keep copies of all email correspondence and order forms. And if you buy goods on the Internet and something goes wrong, remember, normal consumer rights apply.

Courtesy of F-Secure