Online Shopping is a daily occurrence but doing it safely is still a major challenge.  Below are tips and information on how you can stay safe while you shop online. 

Know who you are doing business with

• This means shopping with brands, stores, and people you know 
• Read their privacy policies and understand how your information will be stored and used

In the case of “Marketplace vendors” (Amazon, Etsy, WalMart) 

• Familiarize yourself with any purchase protection services available
• Read reviews on the seller and product(s)
• Look for Secure Payment Options
• Be familiar with the product you are purchasing

Be cautious of “Too Good To Be True" deals  

• This includes any unsolicited emails, third party ads, pop-ups and text messages selling products 
• Shop from a secure area using a secure (non-public) WI-FI or VPN (Virtual Private Network) service
• Verify the web address and look to ensure the website you are on is secure
  • Secure websites should have the "https" and a lock icon 🔒 in the address bar.  

Use safe methods for purchase 

• If you have a credit card, use it instead of a debit card as they offer additional protections to limit your liability for fraudulent charges.  
• Consider using a credit card even on peer to peer payment apps and digital wallets such as PayPal, Venmo, Google & Apple Pay

When using apps make sure to review the safety settings and shopping settings

• Considering using multifactor identification not only for signing in but also purchases where available. 

Keep copies of confirmation of purchase, receipts, and compare them against your account statements.  

• Look for any unidentified charges that may appear on the statement.