|
Internet Shopping Security and You
Just as shoppers should take
measures to protect themselves in brick-and-mortar
stores—such as protecting their PIN numbers when checking
out and not leaving purses unattended—online shoppers also
need to take sensible precautions. This guide offers advice
on how to make your online shopping experiences enjoyable
and safe.
What is Internet Security?
Internet security is a broad term that refers to the various steps
individuals and companies take to protect computers or computer networks
that are connected to the Internet. One of the basic truths behind
Internet security is that the Internet itself is not a secure
environment. The Internet was originally conceived as an open, loosely
linked computer network that would facilitate the free exchange of ideas
and information. Data sent over the Internet—from personal e-mail
messages to online shopping orders—travel through an ever-changing
series of computers and network links. As a result, unscrupulous hackers
and scam artists have ample opportunities to intercept and change the
information. It would be virtually impossible to secure every computer
connected to the Internet around the world, so there will likely always
be weak links in the chain of data exchange.
It's easy to tell when the web site you are viewing is using an
encrypted connection. If the connection is encrypted, the lock icon in
the lower-right corner of the Browser/Navigator window is locked. If the
connection is not encrypted, the lock icon is unlocked. You can also
look at the browser URL Address line and check that the URL starts with
https: (as opposed to the normal http: (note the "s" at the end
indicating "Secure"), for example https://www.PippinBass.com
vs. http://www.PippinBass.com)
Independent Third Party Online Security
Certification
Trusted by organizations throughout the world,
SecureTrust 256-bit SSL certificates provide the highest
level of security and quality available in industry.
Please roll your mouse over the Secure Site Seal below
to see the Site Security Certificate. Secure Sockets
Layer, or SSL (pronounced as separate letters), is a
protocol which is used to communicate over the Internet
in a secure fashion.
The SecureTrust certificate image shot below is the
sample screen you will see with the validity certificate
from one of the Internet Security Leaders. Organizations
who seek the highest level of security for all of their
online communication and transactional needs rely on
SecureTrust SSL Certificates. As the first Certificate
Authority to offer 256-Bit SSL Certificates, SecureTrust
continues to be an industry leader in the market
Your personal data is fully
encrypted to protect you from unwanted use of the personal
information. We do NOT store your credit card information.
You will need to provide your payment details each time you
will process the order although you can retrieve your
personal details such as name and shipping addresses as well
as billing address when you return to the store.
Shop at Secure Websites
How can you tell if a web site is secure? It uses encryption
technology to transfer information from your computer to the
online merchant's computer. Encryption scrambles the
information you send, such as your credit card number, in
order to prevent computer hackers from obtaining it en
route. The only people who can unscramble the code are those
with legitimate access privileges. You can tell when you are
dealing with a secure web site in several ways.
First, if you look at the top of your screen where the web
site address is displayed, you should see https://. The "s"
that is displayed after "http" indicates that web site is
secure. Often, you do not see the "s" until you actually
move to the order page on the web site.
Another way to determine if a web site is secure is to look
for a closed padlock displayed at the bottom of your screen.
If that lock is open, you should assume it is not a secure
site.
The third symbol that indicates you are on a secure site is
an unbroken key.
Of course, transmitting your data over secure channels is of
little value to you if the merchant stores the data
unscrambled. You should try to find out if the merchant
stores the data in encrypted form. If a hacker is able to
intrude, it cannot obtain your credit data and other
personal information. Be sure to read the merchant's privacy
and security policies to learn how it safeguards your
personal data on its computers. (See tip 3 below.)
Read the Web Site's Privacy and Security Policies
Every reputable e-commerce web site offers information about
how it processes your order. It is usually listed in the
section entitled “Privacy Policy." You can find out if the
merchant intends to share your information with a third
party or affiliate company. Do they require these companies
to refrain from marketing to their customers? If not, you
can expect to receive “spam" (unsolicited e-mail) and even
mail or phone solicitations from these companies.
You can also learn what type of information is gathered by
the web site, and how it is — or is not — shared with
others. The online merchant’s data security practices are
also often explained in the Privacy Policy, or perhaps a
separate Security Policy.
Look for online merchants who are members of a
seal-of-approval program that sets voluntary guidelines for
privacy-related practices, such as SecureTrust (www.SecureTrust.com),
Thawte (www.Thawte.com), or BBBonline (www.bbbonline.org).
Given all of these uncertainties, you will want to think
about the sensitivity of the data that is being compiled
about you when you shop online. We cannot prescribe the best
approach to take. Each consumer has a different
interpretation of what is considered “sensitive."
Never Give Out Your Social Security Number
Providing your Social Security number is not a requirement
for placing an order at an e-commerce web site. There is no
need for the merchant to ask for it. Giving out your Social
Security number could lead to having your identity stolen.
(See PRC Fact Sheet 17, "Coping with Identity Theft,"
www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs17-it.htm.)
Click the Website Address
Above the web site at the top of your screen is a
rectangular window that contains the web site address (also
called the URL, or Uniform Resource Locator). By checking
that address, you can make sure that you are dealing with
the correct company.
Don’t click on any link embedded within a potentially
suspicious email. Instead, start a new Internet session from
the beginning by typing in the link’s URL into the address
bar and pressing “Enter" to be sure you’re directed to a
legitimate web site.
Identity thieves send massive numbers of emails to Internet
users that ask them to update the account information for
their banks, credit cards, online payment service, or
popular shopping sites. The email may state that your
account information has expired, been compromised or lost
and that you need to immediately resend it to the company.
Consider Using Single Use Credit Card for Online Shopping
Consumers using some brands of credit cards can get “virtual
credit cards," or single-use card numbers, that can be used
at an online store. The randomly generated substitute
16-digit number can also be used to buy goods and services
over the phone and through the mail but can’t be used for
in-store purchases that require a traditional plastic card.
With this free service, you never need to give out your real
credit card number online. Among the card companies offering
it are Citibank and the Discover card.
|
Search
Jewelry
