Making Purchases Online Doesn't Always Mean Identity Theft

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I have come across quite a few people over the years who despise internet shopping and deem it as not safe resulting in identity theft and credit card fraud. I do not always believe this to be true as I shop frequently online and I've only had to report one fraudulent charge on my account since I have been shopping online (10+ years). A lot of these people do not shop online because they are not in full understanding of how internet shopping works and what signs of "phishing" to look for on a web browser page, so this is specifically to inform those people. First, you'll want to have the most up-to-date virus definitions available on your computer via your anti-virus protection and also anti-malware and anti-spyware protection which is always available free on sites like www.download.com. Once you have your firewalls and all that good stuff set up, you're going to want to make sure your broswer windows are always protected as well. If you do not have anti-virus protection with that feature, there is one sure fire sign of whether the window you have logged into is secure. Look at the address bar once you login, if there is an "https://" at the beginning of the web address, it means that the website you have access is operating on a remote secure server being protected at all times. Also, look at the bottom of your screen, if there is a padlock there and it is locked with a green arrow, you are also secure. These signs can reassure you that nothing will go wrong as long as you navigate through the webpages on the site like you are supposed to. With that being said, please note that when you are operating on websites that are on secure servers, it is never good to use the back button, always try to navigate using the hyperlinks and options within the website. Also, make sure you exit all login windows once you are finished conducting business and unless you are on a home computer or within a secure environment, do not ever request the computer to remember your login information and do not share it within anyone else. I do not even recommend writing it down for your records, store it within your email as a draft or request the information is emailed to you and create a folder to store all of this information. Remember: this is for those who do not feel that the internet is a secure place to make purchases, online banking, etc. and may and may not make you feel more comfortable. If you are placing an order on a website you are unfamiliar with, be sure to record the date you purchased the item(s), name and contact information of the company including address, phone number, email and business hours, the amount of the item(s) purchased and a confirmation # if one is provided to you. Once you remember these steps and become familiar with the process, I guarantee you will feel better and begin to enjoy the benefits of online shopping such as sites that offer free shipping deals and you never have to leave the privacy of your home to shop or hearing and seeing about items before they hit the shelves at local stores and having dibs on them. Last but not least, I'm sure at least one person can tell you that most things are considerably much cheaper online. I hope these tips help those of you who are not comfortable or do not trust the atmosphere of online shopping. As a reminder, be sure to keep your browsing history, cookies, cache and temporary folder clear to further prevent "phishing". Internet Security grad student advice ;)