Online Shopping Safety Guide by: Ian MacKenzie

Hello friends, here's something that is very important nowadays. And since its the season of giving and sharing, a lot of you folks might do your shopping online. Here are some safety guides for online shopping.

• Do not share your user names or passwords.
• Use only secure Internet browsers that allow secure transmission of data -look for the closed padlock symbol in the bottom right corner of your screen and the ‘https’ prefix in the website address line.
• Only give your credit card details when you initiate a purchase.
• Keep a record of your transactions, either by keeping your email confirmations or by writing down the confirmation numbers provided by the merchant.
• Carefully check each of your monthly credit card and bank statements and look for unauthorized purchases and withdrawals.
• Confirm the retailer’s delivery and return policies before you make a purchase.
• Never respond to an unsolicited email request for personal or account information, even if it appears to be from a trusted source.
• Never send payment information, including credit card numbers or bank account information by email.
• Educate yourself about online shopping and safety at http://www.visa.ca/en/personal/securewithvisa/shoppingtips.cfm.
• Choose difficult passwords. Avoid using ones that are easy to guess such as your mother’s maiden name, your birth date, or telephone number.

Happy shopping y'all! Merry Christmas!