The Solution:
Shopping online is very safe…provided you take some precautions:

1. Use a computer you know is safe. Don’t use a stranger’s computer to shop online. Don’t even use the office’s computer. Use your own PC. That’s the only computer you’re sure is getting all the updates and has all the antispyware and antivirus protection.

2. Stick with the well-known shopping sites. They typically better policies and procedures for safeguarding your confidential information. Recommended sites include: www.Amazon.com, www.ThinkGeek.com, www.BN.com, www.NewEgg.com, www.SportsAuthority.com, etc. You get the idea.

3. Look for the lock. Never email your credit card info. All email is public email. Instead, when ordering online, look for the tiny lock on the very bottom right of the webpage. You should see one when entering you payment info. Also, the URL should include an “s” after the “http”. For example, the URL should start with this: https://www.supergeeks.net/checkout

4. Always review your credit card statements. This one’s a given but important to note nonetheless.

5. Don’t keep your credit card on file. Many online vendors will give you an option to database your contact info and your credit card number for future purchases. The idea is convenience. If/when you have this option, decline it. You don’t need anyone else - besides yourself - hanging onto your personal info.


If you’re interested in learning more about online shopping, check out Wikipedia’s definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_shop

Also, if you want more tips on how to safely and wisely shop online, take and few minutes and poke around the Federal Trade Commission’s site: www.ftc.gov/onlineshopping. Note: You can file complaints there, too.

Enjoy the holidays!
James Kerr is Chief Geek at SuperGeeks, a Hawaii-based IT firm specializing in proactive computer care. He can be reached at www.SuperGeeks.net.