When it's time to enter credit card information on the payment page, the URL in the address bar should switch from 'http' to 'https' where the 's' stands for secure. A little padlock will appear in the bottom right hand corner of the window frame of the browser. "And with recent browsers, such as Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 3 and Opera 9.5, you may see the address bar turns green when visiting trusted sites," says Fred Touchette, senior security analyst of AppRiver.
eBay and many other online shopping sites accept PayPal as a payment method. "PayPal is a secure payment system that acts as a middleman and transfers funds to the seller without providing the seller with your banking or credit information," explains Stairs of the system that shoppers can sign up for free online at www.paypal.ca. "You can set it up so that it takes funds out from a bank account, a PayPal balance, or a credit card."
And if the wrong item is sent in the mail, comes damaged or doesn't arrive at all, eBay, PayPal and most credit card companies offer customer protection and will cover the cost of such items.
Avoid Phishing
Spook or fake e-mails are sent by spammers particularly over the holiday season, says Michael D'Sa, senior manager of security and investigation for Visa Canada. They pretend to be from either a bank or PayPal or an online shopping site so they can steal personal and financial information. D'Sa says a bank will never ask for your PIN or other confidential information over an e-mail. Never click on a link or attachment from an unsolicited e-mail. Instead, retype the address in your browser and search for the item yourself.
Stairs offers some great advice: "If this is your first time shopping online, start with something small so you can get used to the process without feeling like you're taking on too much risk. But definitely get in there. There are some amazing deals and an amazing selection of things."
Just like you would if you were shopping in a mall, be smart, ask questions and have fun!
Page 2 of 2
