What's Stopping You From Shopping Online?

Many shoppers are still leery of online shopping because of security or privacy issues. Some people are afraid that their credit card or private information may go to an outside party. Here are some precautions and resources that can help you become a smart online shopper.

Three Simple Steps Everyone Should Take:

1. Use your credit card. (Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your credit card company covers you for all but $50).
2. Check the seller's privacy policy, payment options, shipping costs and insurance and return policies.
3. Print out and save your online invoices or e-mail order confirmations. These can serve as your insurance policy if you receive the wrong order (or never receive your order).

How Can You Tell If Your Internet Connection Is Secure?

Most online merchants use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to encrypt your data, so no third party can view it. If a site's address begins with https, instead of http, the site is using this type of security technology. Another type of security is Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) technology. Sites with SET software will show a locked padlock at the bottom of your screen in Netscape Navigator, or on the status bar in Internet Explorer.

Also, look for the VeriSign seal on a site. This signifies that that business has agreed to comply with the security terms of VeriSign Security Compliance Internet Trust Services -- the leaders in the technology needed to conduct trusted and secure electronic commerce and communications. A site bearing the VeriSign seal assures visitors that the site is secure and that your data will be encrypted. The VeriSign seal also assures that a site is real, the company name and Web site address have been verified and that a background check has been done to confirm that the company has the right to use a specific company name.

How To Find Out If A Store Is Legitimate

To determine if is Web site store is legitimate, check out Internic or Whois.net. Do a search for the site's address. If it's in use, you will see who has registered the domain name and the company's physical address. Often times, you will also see a contact name and phone number.

How To Protect Your Privacy

The TRUSTe online seal program -- with the motto "making the Internet a community that consumers trust and believe in" -- addresses consumers anxiety over sharing personal information on a site.

The TRUSTe privacy seal, or "trustmark," takes you directly to a site's privacy statement. The trustmark is a seal awarded by TRUSTe to Web sites that adhere to established privacy principles and agree to comply with their consumer resolution process. A displayed trustmark signifies to users that the Web site will openly share, at a minimum, what personal information is being gathered, how it will be used, with whom it will be shared, who is gathering the information, what options the user has, what security procedures are in place to prevent misuse or loss and how users can correct information to control its dissemination.

The Better Business Bureau offers a comprehensive guide to online shopping safety. It also has two special programs that rate sites for privacy and reliability.

The Privacy Seal shows that BBBOnLine has verified that business' commitment to privacy. The BBB Reliability Seal shows that site is an online business that has met criteria to be a consumer-friendly site and will stand behind its goods and services.

Other Helpful Consumer Sites:

SafeShopping.org says it is the place to stop before you shop. This site was created by the American Bar Association to help consumers shop smarter and order safely online.

Fraud.org: The National Fraud Information Center & Internet Fraud Watch. The National Consumers League, the oldest nonprofit consumer organization in the United States, started the NFIC in 1992. The NFIC is the only nationwide toll-free hotline for consumers to get advice about telephone solicitations and report possible telemarketing fraud to law enforcement agencies. In 1996, the Internet Fraud Watch was created, enabling the NFIC to offer consumers advice about Internet promotions and send reports of suspected online fraud to the appropriate government agencies. Internet fraud can include promotions found on Web sites, in chat rooms, newsgroups, bulletin boards or via e-mail. Consumers can report suspected telemarketing or Internet fraud through the NFIC hotline or Web site.

ScamBusters call themselves "The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud."

Goodhousekeeping has numerous free online buying guides.

ConsumerReports.com offers non-paying members access to some of their online reports. The magazine is famous for its graphic system of rating and comparing products, as well as its lack of advertising.

ConsumerSearch.com -- For several product categories, ConsumerSearch offers reviews. They list the top-rated products, according to the experts, look for the best reviews on and off the Internet, and then rank them. Consumer Search say its purpose is to report the truth about what the experts are really saying, and that its editors are not influenced by advertising or other commercial considerations. This site can be used as a search engine to find product reviews and information.

Consumer World is a public service, non-commercial guide cataloging over 2000 of the most useful consumer resources.

If you experience a problem with a vendor, you can report the issue to the Federal Trade using an online form.