Shopping Online Safely 

The Internet has provided many opportunities to purchase products and services without ever leaving your house. While this is convenient, it isn't always safe. Fraudsters are attracted to where money is, and money is definitely on the internet. While there are many genuine merchants, there is an ever increasing amount of fraudulent activity on the Internet.

Below are some tips for shopping online safely.

When shopping online, you need to know:

Who you are dealing with.

Ensure that you can find the merchants name, address and telephone/fax numbers so you can contact them if you require further information. Check the web site for quality assurance certificates or seals. You can also check who has registered the domain name by checking it out at www.whois.net

What you are buying.

When you buy online, you can't touch or test what you want to buy. Only purchase from web sites that provide a detailed description of the product.

Ensure you know the complete cost of the product. Are there any shipping or handling fees, taxes or duties that have not been included in the purchase price. Know what currency the purchase is in.

What you are agreeing to.

The merchant should provide you with terms and conditions of your purchase in plain English. Read the conditions carefully so you know what you are signing up for.

What you can do when you are not happy with your purchase.

What is the company's refund or return policy? Is there a process for handling complaints? Is it clear who is responsible for handling post-sales enquiries?

What the business does with the information it collects you.

Many merchants user your information to develop marketing profiles or sell their lists to others. Merchants should make it clear what they do with your personal information by providing a privacy policy. If you are not comfortable with their policy or are unsure what they will do with your personal information, do not buy from them.

Whether the payment system is secure.

Before you provide credit card or financial information, ensure the merchant has a secure payment transaction system. Look for one or both of these signs that the site is secure:

A lock icon at the bottom of the screen, in the status bar of your browser. If the site is secure, the lock will be closed.

The website address begins with https:// - the 's' indicates the site is secure