Tips for a Safe Holiday Shopping from the BBB

Kevin Collins

Better Business Bureau

 

The holiday season is a busy time as people hunt for the

perfect gifts for family and friends. The Internet can make your shopping

faster and easier, but there can also be pitfalls if you’re not careful. Here

are some key tips to ensure you have a safe online shopping experience, so that

your gift-giving is a joyous occasion, not an opportunity for cyber thieves:

Know who you’re dealing with. Check out unfamiliar sellers

with the Better Business Bureau. If you’re buying gifts on an online auction

site that provides a feedback forum, check the track record of the seller

before you bid. Don’t buy things in response to unsolicited emails from unknown

companies, since these may be fraudulent.

Get all the details. Check the name and physical address of

the seller; how much the product or service costs; what is included for that

price; whether there are shipping charges; the delivery time, if any; the

seller’s privacy policy; and the cancellation and return policy.

Look for signs that online purchases are secure. At the

point that you are providing your payment information, the beginning of the Web

site address should change from http to shttp or https, indicating that the

information is being encrypted – turned into code that can only be read by the

seller. Your browser may also signal that the information is secure with a

symbol, such as a broken key that becomes whole or a padlock that closes.

Without this assurance, do not enter any of your personal information.

Pay the safest way. It’s best to use a credit card,

especially when you’re purchasing something that will be delivered later,

because under federal law you can dispute the charges if you don’t get what you

were promised. You also have dispute rights if there are unauthorized charges

on your credit card, and many card issuers have “zero liability” policies under

which you pay nothing if someone steals your credit card number and uses it.

These protections don’t exist for those using wire transfers.

Never enter your personal information in a pop-up screen.

When you visit a company’s Web site, an unauthorized pop-up screen created by

an identity thief could appear, with blanks for you to provide your personal

information. Legitimate companies don’t ask for personal information via pop-up

screens. Install pop-up blocking software to avoid this type of scam.

 

Keep documentation of your order. When you’ve completed the

online order process, there may be a final confirmation page and/or you might

receive confirmation by email. Print or save that information and keep it handy

in case you need it later.

Know your rights. Federal law requires orders made by mail,

phone or online to be shipped by the date promised or, if no delivery time was

stated, within 30 days. If the goods aren’t shipped on time, you can cancel and

demand a refund. There is no general three-day cancellation right, but you do

have the right to reject merchandise if it’s defective or was misrepresented.

Otherwise, it’s the company’s policies that determine if you can cancel the

purchase and whether you can get a refund or credit.

Be suspicious if someone contacts you unexpectedly and asks

for your personal information. Identity thieves send out bogus emails about

problems with consumers’ accounts to lure them into providing their personal

information. Legitimate companies don’t operate that way.

Check your credit card and bank statements carefully. Notify

the bank immediately if there are unauthorized charges or debits, if you were

charged more than you should have been, or if there are any other problems.

Keep your computer secure for safe shopping and other online

activities. Protect your computer with spam filters, anti-virus and

anti-spyware software, and a firewall, and keep them up to date. Go to www.staysafeonline.org and www.onguardonline.gov to learn more about

how to keep your computer secure.

Beware of emails offering loans or credit, even if you have

credit problems. Con artists take advantage of cash-strapped consumers during

the holidays to offer personal loans or credit cards for a fee upfront. These

scammers simply take the money and run.

Contact the seller promptly about any problems with your order.

Check the company’s Web site for a customer service page, “contact us” link,

email address, or phone number to get your complaint addressed or questions

answered. If you can’t resolve the problem, begin documenting your attempts and

contact the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org for help.

A few simple precautions and your Christmas can be the

joyous occasion that you had envisioned.

Kelvin Collins is president/CEO of the Better Business

Bureau of Central Georgia & the CSRA, Inc. serving 41 counties in Central

Georgia and the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA). This tips column is

provided through the local BBB and the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

Questions or complaints about a specific company or charity should be referred

directly to the BBB at Phone: 1-800-763-4222, Web site: www.bbb.org or E-mail:

info@centralgeorgia.bbb.org or info@csra.bbb.org