Shop Safely - How to Protect Yourself When Shopping Online

Online shopping offers many benefits that you won't find shopping in a brick and mortar store or by mail. The Internet is always open seven days a week and 24 hours a day. Internet-only deals and bargains can be numerous online. Shopping on the Internet is no less safe than shopping in a store or by mail. Keep the following tips in mind to help ensure that your online shopping experience is a safe one.

1. While Online Order Only On A Secure Server.

Use a secure browser and shop only at websites that offer encryption protection. A protected website will have one or more of these three features:

a) The small lock or key symbol at the bottom of your browser window;

b) An address that starts with https ("s" for "secure") instead of just http; and

c) A security warning box that pops up at the point of purchase.

Your browser should comply with industry security standards, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). These standards scramble the purchase information you send over the Internet, helping to secure your transaction.

2. Pay The Safest Way.

Use a credit card or Debit Card with a safe online shopping guarantee. Look for a card with specific guarantees, like 100% coverage for any losses due to fraud when shopping on the Internet. Many companies offer an online shopping guarantee that ensures you will not be held responsible for any unauthorized charges made online, and some cards may provide additional warranty, return and/or purchase protection benefits.

3. Protect Your Privacy.

Look for and read a website's privacy and security policy. Stay clear of a website that either doesn't have one or does not guarantee your personal information will not be sold. This policy should disclose what information is being collected on the Web site and how that information is being used.

4. Know Who You're Dealing With.

Research your merchant. Look at the ratings consumers give them and stay clear of websites that either aren't listed or receive poor marks. Shop with companies you know. Anyone can set up shop online under almost any name. If you're not familiar with a merchant, ask for a paper catalogue or brochure to get a better idea of their merchandise and services. Also, determine the company's refund and return policies before you place your order. These should be posted on the company's Web site.

5. Keep A Record.

Print out a copy of your order and confirmation number for your records. Reputable merchants will usually send you an email confirming your order. However a hard copy is always good to have in case your order is lost, deleted or not delivered as promised.

6. Guard Your Online Password.

Keep your password(s) private. Be creative when you establish a password, and never share your website passwords with anyone. Write them down and store them in a safe place. Avoid using a telephone number, birth date or a portion of your Social Security number. Instead, use a combination of numbers, letters and symbols. Do not use the same username and password at every website. Should your personal information be compromised, a thief won't get very far if you use different passwords and usernames on different websites.

7. Track Your Purchases.

Use only one credit card to shop with online. This helps keep track of your online purchases during the holidays, and will make it easier to spot purchases that are fraudulent. Look for a card that allows you to review transactions online as well -- you'll be more likely to notice a problem early on.

8. Keep Personal Information Private.

Don't enter more information at a merchant website than is absolutely necessary. There is usually no reason why you should have to supply information such as birth dates or Social Security numbers when making a purchase. Fill in only the bare essentials necessary to make your purchase. If you have children, teach them to check with you before giving out personal - or family - information online.

Clive Chansa writes for the Home Shopping Catalogues website at http://www.home-shopping-catalogues.org.uk/ and he's also a regular contributor to the Gift Ideas websites at: http://www.gift-ideas-uk.org.uk/

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Computer Viruses - Where They Come From & How to Protect Your Computer

Back in the 90's, it was relatively safe to surf the Internet without the concern of contracting a computer virus. Today as many as 2,000 new viruses or malicious software (malware) invade the Internet on a daily basis. These computer malware are know by various terms, such as, viruses, trojan's, spyware, worms, hijackers, rootkits, etc. Malware can interfere with your computer productivity, monitor your Internet activity, steal your logins and passwords, and even destroy your Windows operating system. This can leave you with a computer that is unusable. These Internet attacks are a form of Internet terrorism and unfortunately, all computers are a potential target and need to be protected.

How can a virus get on my computer? One very common way is through email attachments and email links. These email can be addressed from an unknown sender or someone you know and trust. How is that, you ask? Although a friend or family member would not intentionally send you a virus, their infected computer can use their email address list to send out infected email. If you're not expecting an attachment, sometimes it's wiser not to click on it. If there is an Internet link in the email, hover the mouse over the link and read the link address in the lower left of the email message to see where it is going to take you. When in doubt, don't click on the link, as it might take you to an infected website.

The majority of the viruses and spyware, we remove, are contracted by downloading free music, movies, software and games, using what is called, a P2P or peer-to-peer program. There are 20+ free P2P programs that exist, such as, Limewire, Ares, uTorrent, BitTorrent, and eMule, to name just a few. When you use a P2P to download free "stuff", you might be downloading "free" viruses too. In addition, a P2P program allows others access to your computer to upload what you have downloaded. If you have one of these P2P programs on your computer, we recommend uninstalling it while your computer is still healthy. If your not sure you have a P2P installed, give us a call. Computer PC Medic's Fort Collins computer repair technicians can remove any P2P's and all malware.

WARNING: If you see message boxes, of unknown origin, soliciting a response from you or a new antivirus scanner on your desktop, DO NOT click on any messages or buy any antivirus products from it. Your computer is being compromised and is at the beginning of the infection process. Turn your computer off and call your favorite computer repair technician.

Hello, I'm Dan Ruffolo and the owner/operator of Computer PC Medic ( http://www.ComputerPcMedic.com ), a computer repair company, in Fort Collins, Colorado. We offered computer repair services and training to homes, students and small businesses in Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Greeley. - Dan -

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