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Internet Safety
Shopping Tips
- Your best bet for reliability when
purchasing items is to stick with well-known companies such as Amazon.com
and the like, or sites with big name stores backing
them up such as Wal-Mart.com
or Barnes
and Noble.com.
- Make sure there is a locked padlock
on the bottom of your browser (
 ),
this represents that you are on a secure server before
you submit your credit card information.
- Another way to make sure that you are
on a secure server is to make sure that the beginning
part of the website address starts with https://www.something.com
and not http://www.something.com (the s stands
for secure).
- Print a copy of the page with the
order information or number when you are done
ordering. This way you have proof that you ordered the
item, and also serves as a reminder to you of when you
bought your product, and at what price.
- Be sure to check out a company's
return and warranty policy before purchasing anything from them. After all, you
won't want to pay for a
broken item or an item you don't need.
- Never send credit card or
personal information through e-mail.
- Don't give merchants information they
shouldn't need, such as your social
security number or driver's license number.
- Get personal contact information
about a seller at an auction, such as a telephone
number or a street address, before purchasing (not
just an e-mail address).
- When purchasing an item from an
auction, check out the seller's previous history and
their feedback and make sure you buy only from those
who have a good record.
- Only purchase from sites with a
professional design and their own domain name (i.e.
http://www.amazon.com not http://www.freehost.com/membername/something/...).
If they can't afford to do these simple things, then
the quality of their service and goods will probably
reflect the poor quality of their site.
- Just because a site looks
professional doesn't mean that there is a good company
backing it up with good service. When in doubt, try calling the site
directly on the phone. This also give you a chance
to check the quality of their customer service.
-
When purchasing an item from an
auction, check out the seller's previous history and
their feedback and make sure you buy only from those
who have a good record.
- NEVER PAY FOR A PRODUCT/SERVICE
ONLINE VIA WESTERN UNION.
- Pay by credit or charge card.
If you pay by credit or charge card online, your transaction will be protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this law, consumers have the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the creditor is investigating them. In the event of unauthorized use of your credit or charge card, you are generally held liable only for the first $50 in charges. Some companies offer an online shopping guarantee that ensures you will not be held responsible for any unauthorized charges made online, and some cards may provide additional warranty, return and/or purchase protection benefits.
- Be sure to print a copy of your purchase order and confirmation number for your records. Also, you should know that the federal Mail/Telephone Order Merchandise Rule covers online orders. This means that unless states otherwise, merchandise must be delivered within 30 days; and if there are delays, the company must notify you.
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