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Information Security Tips Series |
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Online shopping is growing fast around the world due to the increasing use of Internet. It provides convenience of shopping anytime anywhere. There is a wide variety of products for online shoppers, such as clothes, accessories, groceries and tickets.. Though online shopping provides much convenience to consumers, it also presents concern of security problems among them. Nevertheless, with the following tips, people can have a safer online shopping environment. (1) Using an updated browser and secure websites: It is important to use a secure browser to navigate the Internet. The browser should comply with industry security standards such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Secure Electronic Transaction (SET). Look for the "padlock" icon on the browser's status bar and make sure "https://" appears on the website's address bar so that communication with the web page is encrypted for protection of sensitive data transmission over public networks and Internet. Look for seals of approval such as TRUSTe or WebTrust to ensure the websites are under proper security measures. In addition, make sure the website address is correctly typed and obtained from a trusted source. Enabling personal firewall and anti-virus software with the latest definition file can prevent the computer from harmful attacks. (2) Being discriminating when providing personal information: Be aware of providing personal information via the shopping websites. Read the terms and conditions carefully before making transactions. Avoid providing personal or account information unless it states clearly who will receive the information and its purpose. Users can apply for a digital certificate to protect their personal information during electronic transaction. Remember to logoff at the end of each session, especially on the use of public computers. Never send any credit card or sensitive information to the sellers through email, as it may be easier for hackers to get those data from the email than encrypted information. (3) Choosing well-known or trustworthy online shopping sites: A reputable company offers people confidence to purchase items online. Before making a transaction, try to find out customers' evaluation of that company. Start with a small item first to learn if the company is trustworthy. In this way, if unfortunately the service provided is not good, the loss can be minimised. (4) Trying to arrange face-to-face payment and delivery for C2C commerce: It is difficult to verify the identity of sellers based on their online display names. Therefore, try to find a company or seller that accepts face-to-face payment and delivery, especially the transaction made in the C2C (consumer-to-consumer) commerce such as Yahoo Auction or eBay. These can protect personal interest and minimise loss. (5) Regularly checking credit card accounts: Check the credit card accounts regularly to ensure there are no errors or unauthorised transactions made. If in doubt, report to the credit card centre immediately. Appropriate use of online shopping service can be fun to customers. Security measures should be employed to enjoy safe online shopping. |
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