How to Stay Safe When Shopping Online This Holiday Season
Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 5:36 pm
How to Stay Safe When Shopping Online This Holiday Season
From: [url=\"http://www.ca.com/\"]Computer Associates[/url]
Purchasing gifts on the Internet can save time, effort and money - so long as you stay aware and alert... and avoid the risks.
Millions of consumers every holiday season avoid the gift-giving rush - and crush! - by doing their shopping online. Chances are you do, too, because the advantages are unbeatable. Better prices. Deeper selection. Instant gratification. There's no hazardous traffic or weather to contend with, no endless lines of humanity to endure, and no mind-numbing, daylong trips to the mall that can humbug your holiday spirit. Plus, you get to avoid playing "musical cars" at every parking lot you pull into. (This alone is worth a click or two!)
Yet, there is another more perilous "rush" to contend with... and, like clockwork, it occurs every season. It's a quieter, subtler, digital frenzy, but one that is no less treacherous. It's where Internet "Grinches" rush out their new stock of malevolent tricks to entice and ensnare e-shoppers - that is, the unpresuming, unprepared, and unprotected e-shoppers, who make the easiest marks. This year, CA is helping to ensure that you are not one of them!
'Tis the Season to Be Wary
The US Federal Trade Commission publishes a brief list of top-level online steps you can take to protect yourself all year long.1 They seem like commonsense suggestions, sure, but don't be fooled; it's surprising how many shoppers neglect even these simple approaches. Following them becomes even more critical during these joyful times of the year, when spirits are up and guards are down..
The facts are clear, but difficult to imagine:
KNOW WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH -
Confirm the online seller's physical address and phone number in case you have questions or problems.
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE BUYING -
Read the seller's description of the product closely, especially the fine print.
KNOW WHAT IT WILL COST -
Factor shipping and handling, along with your needs and budget, into the total cost of the order.
PAY BY CREDIT OR CHARGE CARD -
For maximum consumer protections.
CHECK OUT THE TERMS OF THE DEAL -
Like refund policies and delivery dates.
PRINT AND SAVE RECORDS OF YOUR ONLINE TRANSACTIONS -
To keep a paper trail you can later refer to.
DON'T EMAIL YOUR FINANCIAL INFORMATION -
Email is not secure enough to transmit such delicate data.
CHECK THE PRIVACY POLICY
You should know what personal information the Web site operators are collecting, why they are collecting it, and how they plan to use it.
No doubt, good advice. But online shopping threats go well beyond the simple e-purchase transaction. What about ambush attacks from unknown entities, aimed directly but covertly at your PC? Or Internet robbers who spy the info superhighway to prey upon unwary "travelers" en route? During the holidays, when Internet commerce is booming, these resourceful thieves pull out all the stops to launch their "finest" work. Phishers, Hackers, "Spammers", Fraudsters, et. al. - they're caught in a holiday rush all their own, targeting computers with an onslaught of threats designed to breach weak defenses. They're looking to con you and your family out of anything they can get their digital mittens on: passwords, PINs, account numbers or worse. With sophisticated, camouflaged and often
From: [url=\"http://www.ca.com/\"]Computer Associates[/url]
Purchasing gifts on the Internet can save time, effort and money - so long as you stay aware and alert... and avoid the risks.
Millions of consumers every holiday season avoid the gift-giving rush - and crush! - by doing their shopping online. Chances are you do, too, because the advantages are unbeatable. Better prices. Deeper selection. Instant gratification. There's no hazardous traffic or weather to contend with, no endless lines of humanity to endure, and no mind-numbing, daylong trips to the mall that can humbug your holiday spirit. Plus, you get to avoid playing "musical cars" at every parking lot you pull into. (This alone is worth a click or two!)
Yet, there is another more perilous "rush" to contend with... and, like clockwork, it occurs every season. It's a quieter, subtler, digital frenzy, but one that is no less treacherous. It's where Internet "Grinches" rush out their new stock of malevolent tricks to entice and ensnare e-shoppers - that is, the unpresuming, unprepared, and unprotected e-shoppers, who make the easiest marks. This year, CA is helping to ensure that you are not one of them!
'Tis the Season to Be Wary
The US Federal Trade Commission publishes a brief list of top-level online steps you can take to protect yourself all year long.1 They seem like commonsense suggestions, sure, but don't be fooled; it's surprising how many shoppers neglect even these simple approaches. Following them becomes even more critical during these joyful times of the year, when spirits are up and guards are down..
The facts are clear, but difficult to imagine:
KNOW WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH -
Confirm the online seller's physical address and phone number in case you have questions or problems.
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE BUYING -
Read the seller's description of the product closely, especially the fine print.
KNOW WHAT IT WILL COST -
Factor shipping and handling, along with your needs and budget, into the total cost of the order.
PAY BY CREDIT OR CHARGE CARD -
For maximum consumer protections.
CHECK OUT THE TERMS OF THE DEAL -
Like refund policies and delivery dates.
PRINT AND SAVE RECORDS OF YOUR ONLINE TRANSACTIONS -
To keep a paper trail you can later refer to.
DON'T EMAIL YOUR FINANCIAL INFORMATION -
Email is not secure enough to transmit such delicate data.
CHECK THE PRIVACY POLICY
You should know what personal information the Web site operators are collecting, why they are collecting it, and how they plan to use it.
No doubt, good advice. But online shopping threats go well beyond the simple e-purchase transaction. What about ambush attacks from unknown entities, aimed directly but covertly at your PC? Or Internet robbers who spy the info superhighway to prey upon unwary "travelers" en route? During the holidays, when Internet commerce is booming, these resourceful thieves pull out all the stops to launch their "finest" work. Phishers, Hackers, "Spammers", Fraudsters, et. al. - they're caught in a holiday rush all their own, targeting computers with an onslaught of threats designed to breach weak defenses. They're looking to con you and your family out of anything they can get their digital mittens on: passwords, PINs, account numbers or worse. With sophisticated, camouflaged and often