Safety Tips from Charity Folks
We want your online experience to be enjoyable and worry free. Bidding to Give, Shopping and Banking online can be convenient and secure -- if you take a few simple precautions. Many e-commerce websites utilize state-of-the-art encryption and other security procedures to safeguard you and your money.
Here are a few suggestions to help you have a secure online experience:
If you suspect a website is not what it purports to be, leave the site. Do not follow any of the instructions it may present you.
Ask yourself if the information you are asked to provide makes sense for the activity you are engaged in.
If a site or e-mail asks for information that does not feel right, do not respond.
If you believe that someone is trying to commit fraud by pretending to be Charity Folks, please contact us immediately.
Be alert for scam e-mails. These may appear to come from a trusted business or friend, but actually are designed to trick you into downloading a virus or jumping to a fraudulent website and disclosing sensitive information.
Open e-mails only when you know the sender. Be especially careful about opening an e-mail with an attachment. Even a friend may accidentally send an e-mail with a virus.
Be careful before you click on a link that is contained in an e-mail or other message. The link may not be trustworthy.
Do not send sensitive personal or financial information unless it is encrypted on a secure website. Regular e-mails are not encrypted.
Do business only with companies you know and trust.
Be aware! Phony "look alike" websites are designed to trick consumers and collect their personal information. Make sure that websites on which you transact business post privacy and security statements and review them carefully.
Verify the address of every website, known as the URL. Make sure that the URL you want appears in the "address" or "location" box on your browser window. Some websites may appear to be legitimate but actually are counterfeits. Take a few extra seconds and type the URL yourself.
Look for the padlock symbol at the bottom of the browser window to ensure the site is running in secure mode BEFORE you input sensitive information.
Use strong passwords for your accounts. Choose passwords that are difficult for others to guess, and use a different password for each of your accounts. Use both letters and numbers and a combination of lower case and capital letters as your password is case sensitive.
Make sure your home computer has the most current anti-virus software. Anti-virus software needs frequent updates to guard against new viruses. Make sure you download the anti-virus updates as soon as you are notified that a download is available.
Install a personal firewall to help prevent unauthorized access to your home computer, especially if you connect through a cable or DSL modem.
Log off. Do not just close your browser.
Monitor your transactions. Review your order confirmations, credit card, and bank statements as soon as you receive them to make sure that you are being charged only for transactions you made.
Immediately report any irregularities.
For additional tips on online security see the following websites:
http://www.bbb.org/alerts/Computer.asp
http://iisw.cerias.purdue.edu/home_computing/
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Protect Yourself While Shopping Online
Tips to Protect Yourself While Shopping Online
Use Companies You Know
Anyone can open a store online in minutes and be gone tomorrow. Make sure you either know of the store or you should research it. Here are some things to research before doing business with an unknown company.
1. Make sure there is contact information for the company (business name, address, and telephone number).
2. Compare this with information from the domain register
3. Check to see if there has been complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau and the National Association of Attorney Generals.
4. Compare Prices Before Buying If the price is too low there may be something wrong like it is used or it may be a bait and switch deal.
5. Check the Return Policy Before You Order When shopping we all hope that we get what we expect but sometimes there are problems that arise with what we ordered. Check the company's return policy before you order online so you will know what to expect before you order. Some companies offer no returns and you may not want to do business with them.
6. Use a Credit Card Don't use debit cards to shop online - they don't offer the protection of the Fair Credit Billing Act which protects you. If you have problems with someone using the card, in most cases you will only be held liable for $50 of the charges and you can protest a charge if you don't get what you ordered.
7. Print and Keep Information About Your Order, Print out information on your order when you place it and keep the copies. Also print out other information you may need such as return policies, company information, specific product information and warranty information.
8. Use Secure Passwords- Learn how to create a secure password that isn't easily hacked.
9. Trust Your Instincts- If It Sounds Too True To Be Good... It probably is!
Following these tips will help you to not get ripped off while shopping online.
Use Companies You Know
Anyone can open a store online in minutes and be gone tomorrow. Make sure you either know of the store or you should research it. Here are some things to research before doing business with an unknown company.
1. Make sure there is contact information for the company (business name, address, and telephone number).
2. Compare this with information from the domain register
3. Check to see if there has been complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau and the National Association of Attorney Generals.
4. Compare Prices Before Buying If the price is too low there may be something wrong like it is used or it may be a bait and switch deal.
5. Check the Return Policy Before You Order When shopping we all hope that we get what we expect but sometimes there are problems that arise with what we ordered. Check the company's return policy before you order online so you will know what to expect before you order. Some companies offer no returns and you may not want to do business with them.
6. Use a Credit Card Don't use debit cards to shop online - they don't offer the protection of the Fair Credit Billing Act which protects you. If you have problems with someone using the card, in most cases you will only be held liable for $50 of the charges and you can protest a charge if you don't get what you ordered.
7. Print and Keep Information About Your Order, Print out information on your order when you place it and keep the copies. Also print out other information you may need such as return policies, company information, specific product information and warranty information.
8. Use Secure Passwords- Learn how to create a secure password that isn't easily hacked.
9. Trust Your Instincts- If It Sounds Too True To Be Good... It probably is!
Following these tips will help you to not get ripped off while shopping online.
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