Washington Post columnist Brian Krebs did a great piece “Eight tips for safe online shopping.” His list:
1. Shop with a credit card, not a debit card
2. Keep track of your receipts.
3. Shop from a locked-down PC.
4. Look for the SSL sign/padlock in the browser’s address bar.
5. Avoid bargain-basement shopping online.
6. Double-check those shipping policies.
7. Read the fine print (Being in a hurry when you make a Web purchase can cause you to ‘sign up’ for unwanted offers).
8. Shopping online at work could be hazardous to your career. (If your employer’s acceptable use policy precludes shopping during working hours, you might find yourself on the “downsize” list.)
Column here.
Tom Kelchner