But, you do have to be smart about your online shopping experiences. I stick to major, name brand stores. Rarely do I venture to a site that I haven't heard of or know someone who has shopped there before. I'm sure I'm missing out on some super, good stuff, but I'm not willing to take the chance.
If you do get to a site you are unfamiliar with and the address in the address bar suddenly changes to something complete different, close it out, leave the site.
If you receive an email about a sale at a site, don't click directly from your email to the website. Instead, open a new window and put in the address of the site. The original email could be a scam and you don't want any part of that site!
Prior to shopping, make sure that your virus protection on your computer is up to date. You don't want to fall prey to a virus because you "didn't have the time" for the update.
Theft protection: many credit cards come with these programs, often free for a year or two. Look into them and consider getting one. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Oh those passwords! As much as we hate to come up with a new one and one that fits all 15 of the requirements, it is for our own good. Password123 ISN'T a good password! Your child's birthdate or name isn't either! Come up with a really good one and if you have to change it, add a 1 to it, or change the 1 to 2....etc....How do you keep up with your passwords? There are apps for it, and I don't like that idea, but I am sure some people have great success with it. Some people have a spiral with the information listed. Whatever you do, make sure you keep it in a secure spot.
Check the refund policies prior to clicking the "Pay" button. Are you paying for expedited shipping? What if it still doesn't get there on time? What if it is damaged? These are a few things you need to know.
Public Wi-Fi....don't do it! No shopping, paying bills, looking at your bank account while you are in public. Lots of not so nice people out there trying to latch on to your information and your money.
Social media: you don't have to accept every friend request you get. Just because you have a few mutual friends, doesn't mean you have to do it either. This holds true for messages, too.
eCards, while they are great in theory, if it is coming from an unknown source, don't take the chance. To be 100% safe, don't open any eCards. The person who sent it isn't going to ask you about it anyway! Nice gesture, but you don't need to take the unnecessary risk.
As always, stay safe my friends.
http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles
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