Shopping online or by television has grown increasing popular throughout the years, mainly due to convenience. Buyers can often obtain substantial deals without having to leave home. As added bonuses, products generally arrive quickly and can be delivered directly to the doorstep. But, before you throw down your credit cards and commit to buying anything, consider these factors:
- Make sure you are buying from a reputable business and opt for trusted websites.
- Always use strong passwords that are changed frequently.
- Check bank and credit card statements regularly.
- When shopping online, beware of misspellings that can take you to the wrong websites.
- Also beware of unofficial domain names designed to trick buyers (for example .net rather than .com).
- Use websites with an SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption. URLs generally start with HTTPS rather than HTTP.
- Never give out your birthday or SSN (social security number). Once a scammer obtains this information;