How to Shop Online Safely

Many of my clients are still reluctant to shop on the internet for fear of having their financial and identity information stolen. These are valid concerns, and something we all need to pay attention to. However, shopping online is much safer than many may think. There's also a lot of protection built in for buyers.

So how do you know that the site you're on is safe? There's a couple of things to consider before making a purchase online.

The first is the site itself. Is it a reputable company or an unknown site? If the site is a well-known reputable company like Amazon.com, Target.com, Sears.com. etc. then you don't have to worry. You can rest assured that these sites have the highest level of security in place.

If the site is an unknown one, it may still be safe to shop on. Look for the quality of the site. Does it look professional or kind of sleezy? Is there a valid phone number and contact information? Feel free to call the phone number to check things out before you buy. Check the return policy also. If the site looks legit, the next thing to check out is the purchase page.

BEFORE you enter your credit card information (or social security number) on a web page, you want to make sure it's a secure page (i.e. encrypted). To do this, look at the URL (i.e., web address). If the page is encrypted, the web address will begin with "https". The "s" is the key here. If you look at most web pages, you'll notice the "s" is missing (that is, most web pages start, "http://www....."

If you don't see the "s" after "http", then don't enter your social security or credit card number.
Don't worry about other pages on the site that don't have the "s" (this is normal since there's no reason to encrypt product information). But any pages asking you to enter sensitive information (like credit cards and social security) should have the "s" assuring you the information you give out will be encrypted and protected from cyberears. By the way, the same is tru for your online banking sites too.

If you're still concerned about identity theft and the dangers of online shopping, you might consider signing up for LifeLock. LifeLock is the only Identity Theft Prevention Solution backed by a one-million dollar guarantee! Click here to get a 10% discount.

For more information on identity theft, click here.

Minimizing & Reporting Identity Theft

Identity theft is a very real problem that folks are increasingly becoming concerned about - and for good reason. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year!

Of course, not all identity theft is tied to online activities. Thieves can learn a lot about you and your identity by going stealing your wallet, purse, and even through your trash bin. There are plenty of resources out there for criminals to use.

There are a lot of steps you can use to help protect yourself including:

1. Stopping mail and paper delivery when you go away.
2. Shredding important documents (including things with your address on it), old credit cards and other digital media with sensitive info on it (like CD's and DVD's).
3. Making sure you're on a web page that is secure (i.e., encrypted) before giving out your credit card information.
   
4. Check your credit card statements every month.
5. Avoid phishing scams.
   

The list goes on. But even though you can take steps to reduce identity theft, there's still a chance that you, or somebody you know, may have their identity stolen.

If you or somebody you know should have their identity stolen, report it immediately to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can call them at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338) or visit the FTC's Identity Theft web site.

In fact, it's a good idea to visit the FTC Identity Theft web site now to check out all the resources available on the site. Be sure to share this information with family and friends too!

You might also consider checking out LifeLock! LifeLock is the industry leader in the rapidly growing field of Identity Theft Protection. And best of all, they're based in Tempe, Arizona. LifeLock is also the only Identity Theft Prevention Solution backed by a one-million dollar guarantee! Click here to get a 10% discount.