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Language: en

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Online shopping is a quick, convenient way
to buy almost any product you could possibly

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imagine. While there are some risks shopping
this way, if you know how to identify a secure

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online store, and how to protect yourself,
you should be able to shop with confidence.

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To have the best possible experience buying
online, there are a few important things to

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remember – and it all starts with your computer
at home.

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Making sure your computer’s operating system
and Internet browser are up to date, and installing

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some good malware-protection software, is
your first line of defense against viruses,

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malware, or fraudulent activity.

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To further protect sensitive information like
credit card numbers, your best bet is to shop

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from home; avoid using public wifi or public
PCs, like library computers.

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If you’ve purchased products online before,
you’re probably familiar with some of the

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larger retailers like Amazon or Ebay. These
sites have become so popular in part because

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they have earned a good reputation for protecting
their customers’ personal information. With

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sites like these, there’s less to worry
about in general.

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However, there may be a time when you find
that the hunt for a rare or specific item

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has taken you off the beaten path in the online
marketplace.

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If you find yourself shopping on an unfamiliar
site, make sure to look for https://, and

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the padlock symbol in the address bar. These
things indicate that the site is SSL encrypted,

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which means it provides the security necessary
to better protect your personal information.

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And always be sure to make note of phone numbers
and physical addresses so you know how to

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make contact in case there’s a problem with
your transaction.

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It’s also a good idea to do some research
on what you’re buying and who you’re buying

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from.

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If you’re tempted to buy something from
an online store you’ve never shopped with

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before, take a minute to do a quick search
to see if you can find any reviews.

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No matter what site you’re shopping on,
whenever you log in with an online retailer,

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you want to make sure your passwords are strong,
long, and different for every site you shop

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with. This will make it harder for your account
to be hacked, further protecting your privacy.

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Once you’re ready to purchase something,
there are a few things to keep in mind when

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it comes to safe payment options. Credit cards
are generally your safest option...

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...Or you can also use an online payment service
like PayPal or Google Wallet. These services

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keep your credit card information stored on
a secure server, allowing you to make purchases

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through them without revealing sensitive information
to retailers.

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After you’ve made a purchase, print or save
records of the transaction. Keeping a paper

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trail of your purchase will be valuable in
the event that you have to dispute anything

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later.

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Above all else, remember to never send cash
through the mail, use a money wiring service,

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give out your social security number, or send
your credit card information over email. Legitimate

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retailers will never ask for this, and if
one does, it’s pretty much a sure-fire indication

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that you’re about to be scammed.

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In the end, use your common sense, and trust
your gut. If a deal seems too good to be true,

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it probably is. And if anything seems suspicious,
don’t make the purchase.