Best Practices

Tips for Secure & Safe Online Shopping

Kerry O'Brien

So often we hear customers relay concerns about the safety and security of their private information while shopping online. Many times you will hear companies state that online customers have no reason to be concerned and there is no need to take precautions. The fact is you should always be concerned about your private information landing in the wrong hands and, following, I will provide some thought provoking information and some practical questions that will help protect your privacy.

News story after news story reports an increase in identity theft and credit card fraud. It makes you wonder if you should take the risk and expose yourself to an unknown site online. Rest easy, there are some simple ways to ensure that your private information remains safe and secure. In fact, Internet purchasing is much safer than using your card in a brick and mortar.

Let me paint a picture of a crime that occurs across this nation every single day. You are seated in a restaurant with your family or friends. The waiter or waitress asks you for your credit card and you gladly give up your card to the server. The server takes your card to the computer to process your payment. The server now has your name, card number and 3-digit security code.

When the server comes back to the table, the server states that you look familiar and wonders if you live around the area. You politely reply yes or no and then divulge the city in which you reside. The server can now find out your city’s zip code. Add a birthday into the mix and the server may ask if today is actually your birthday and ask your age. What does this all mean for the cardholder? The server now has your credit card number, your private 3-digit code off your card, your credit card’s 800 number, your zip code and possibly your birth date and the year in which you were born.

If your address is not private, the next step is to the White Pages to get your phone number and address. The server can call the 800 number found on the back of your card, tap in your card number, and then the automated operator will ask for your five digit zip code. The server now can access your limit, how much available credit you have, your last five transactions, and then begin ordering online! To create a bill to/ship to online, all the user needs is your address, and some sites do not even require a bill to/ship to address!

So buying online probably has fewer risks than handing over your credit card to anyone who can walk away with the card for 40 seconds or more and jot down or take a cell photo of all your credit card information. Yet the risks associated with online shopping are still very concerning, so use the following questions to help protect yourself and shop safely online.

• Is the site secure? Make sure the company has a secure server with firewall protection; this will enable the online shopping site to encrypt your information. If the company is legitimate, they will usually have this information posted in plain sight on their home page or visible during the checkout process. Something similar to the security logo pasted below should be present.
• Did you easily find an 800 number or are you forced to try and deal with the company through e-mails?
• Did you read the Return Policy? Are you satisfied with the terms the company is offering you?
• Is the company listed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Online site? You use BBB to check out brick and mortar companies, you should also do the same for online sites as well. www.BBBonline.org
• Are you able to find customer feedback from fellow customers and their shopping experiences with this online retailer? Example >
• How long has the company been in business? You should be able to find this information on their About Us Page. They don’t have an About Us Page? - be cautious! At least with long standing businesses, you can find a track record that will provide important information about the company.

Now, you are better equipped to shop online and can feel that you have made an educated decision on who to shop with and why. We hope that you find this information informative, and suggest that you pass it along to friends and family.

Incidentally, the above online shopping information can be useful for libraries and their patrons. Libraries can aid their patrons by reminding Internet computer users that they are in a public area and on a public computer. Though most library computers are configured to delete session information upon log out, patrons should still be made aware that logging out of their transactions will increase the security of their information. When entering personal and credit card information for a transaction, libraries can suggest patrons use a privacy screen and check to ensure that no one can see the details on the computer screen or the actual credit card. Furthermore, libraries can offer classes or informative programs on shopping safely online to educate patrons and assist them with their online experiences.

Just an extra tip before I go, when shopping online - never give your proper birth date or mother’s maiden name. Use a different maiden name when asked for an identifying name, birth or first grade teacher. Pick a date and maiden name of a friend or boy/girlfriend and always use that date and maiden name. Why? Birth dates and mothers’ maiden names are what your banking institution uses to verify who you are over the phone and often in person when you don’t have a driver’s license. Also, if someone asks for your social security number, for verification purposes, never give them more than the last four digits, and when in doubt, ask for a number and tell them that you will call them back and do a reverse look up on the number that they called from. You can never be too careful.

Happy shopping during this upcoming Holiday Season!

Kerry O’Brien is Library Division Head for SQR Solutions. www.sqrsolutions.com