Online Shopping Tips

Life moves fast, and more and more customers are doing their shopping online, to save time.

Whether you are buying that new pair of shoes that you haven’t time to get to the mall to pick up, or buying a big ticket item, here are some tips that will help make your online shopping experience more safe and secure.

Start by shopping only with web sites that have been verified to be secure. Most sites display a certificate either on their home page or at checkout…often shown with a padlock symbol. When in doubt…look for the lock.

Make sure that you type in the store’s web address into your browser. Don’t just click on a link from an email, as it could potentially lead you to a phony site.

Shopping web sites have no reason to ask for Social Security numbers, so never provide them if asked.

Be wary of emails that may ask you to take various actions such as verifying your credit card information, updating your password, etc. Legitimate businesses will not ask you to verify any personal information via an email. If you receive this type of email, delete it and notify the business directly.

Never send payment information via email.

Remember to review your bank and credit card statements and accounts to make sure that each transaction listed is legitimate. Don’t wait for your monthly statement, go online and view your accounts regularly.