Internet shopping: safety first

You hear it all the time: "Shopping on the Web is safe, as long as you really know and trust the sites you use." Well, how do you know who you can trust? Microsoft^® Internet Explorer helps by giving you a visual clue.

If you provide your credit-card number to a Web site, you'll want to make sure that the site is secure. Internet Explorer notifies you if a site is secure by displaying a lock icon on the status bar, in the lower-right corner of the window. When you see this lock, you can be assured of two things:

• The site is owned and maintained by the organization that it claims to be. (Double-click the lock to see a certificate verifying site ownership.)
• Any communication you send to or receive from the site is encrypted, so no one else can read the information.

Even with these assurances, you should always be cautious when giving out personal information online. Only share information with reputable Web sites that you trust. Here are a few more guidelines to help put your mind at ease:

• Stick with what you know. Shop only with companies you trust. If you want to try a company you have never heard of, do a little research first: request a catalog by mail, or call and talk to a company representative.
• Protect yourself. Read the company's privacy policy to make sure the company won't give or sell your information to others. You should be able to find the privacy policy on the site or obtain it via e-mail.
• Keep the password secret. If the online merchant asks you to set up a password, choose something that won't be easy for someone else to figure out. This rules out your husband's birthday, your phone number, your dog's name, etc. Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Don't use the same password on other accounts or sites.
• Use common sense. Never fill out online questionnaires that ask for your social security number, mother's maiden name, bank account number, etc. There is rarely a reason a merchant would need this information for a transaction.
• Print it out. A printed copy of your order will act as your receipt. Make sure it includes a confirmation number.
• Report problems. If you have problems, report them to the merchant. If that doesn't help, talk to your local consumer protection agency, The Better Business Bureau, The National Fraud Information Center, or the Federal Trade Commission.