Better Business Bureau offers online shopping tips

Shopping online means avoiding the crowds, but it also opens up the buyer to attacks from scammers and hackers.

“While online shopping may be convenient, the Internet also is rife with scams that can part consumers from their money or hijack their personal information,” said Steve J. Bernas, BBB President and CEO.

BBB recommends the following top 10 tips for shopping online this holiday season to help fight unscrupulous online retailers, scammers and hackers:

Ÿ Protect your computer: A computer should always have the most recent updates installed for spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a secure firewall.

Ÿ Shop on trustworthy websites: Shoppers should start at www.bbb.org to check on the seller’s reputation and record for customer satisfaction. It’s a good idea to look for the BBB logo and other widely-recognized seals on retailer websites, but make sure they are real (some rogue sites plagiarize seals to look legitimate).

Ÿ Protect your personal information: BBB recommends taking the time to read the site’s privacy policy and understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used. If there isn’t one posted, take that as a red flag that personal information may be sold to others without permission.

Ÿ Beware of deals that sound too good to be true: Offers on websites and in unsolicited emails can often sound too good to be true, especially extremely low prices on hard-to-get items. Consumers should always go with their instincts and not be afraid to pass up a “deal” that might cost them dearly in the end.

Ÿ Beware of phishing: Legitimate businesses do not send emails claiming problems with an order or an account to lure the “buyer” into revealing financial information. If a consumer receives such an email, BBB recommends picking up the phone and calling the contact number on the website where the purchase was made to confirm there really is a problem with the transaction.

Ÿ Confirm your online purchase is secure: Shoppers should always look in the address box for the “s” in https:// and in the lower-right corner for the “lock” symbol before paying. If there are any doubts about a site, BBB recommends right-clicking anywhere on the page and select “Properties.” This will let you see the real URL (website address) and the dialogue box will reveal if the site is not encrypted.

Ÿ Pay with a credit card: It’s best to use a credit card, because under federal law, you can dispute the charges if you don’t receive the item.

You also have dispute rights if there are unauthorized charges on your credit card, and many card issuers have “zero liability” policies, under which the card holder pays nothing if someone steals the credit card number and uses it.

If you are going to shop on classifieds websites like Craigslist, never wire money and only buy locally where you can see the item before you hand over your money.

Ÿ Keep documentation of your order: After completing the online order process, there may be a final confirmation page or the shopper might receive confirmation by email — BBB recommends saving a copy of the Web page and any emails for future reference and as a record of the purchase.

Ÿ Check your credit card statements often: Don’t wait for paper statements. BBB recommends consumers check their credit card statements for suspicious activity by calling credit card companies or by looking at statements online regularly.

Ÿ Know your right: Federal law requires orders made by mail, phone or online be shipped by the date promised or, if no delivery time was stated, within 30 days. If the goods aren’t shipped on time, the shopper can cancel and demand a refund.

There is no general three-day cancellation right, but consumers do have the right to reject merchandise if it’s defective or was misrepresented. Otherwise, it’s the company’s policies that determine if the shopper can cancel the purchase and receive a refund or credit.

For more advice on staying safe online this holiday season, and to see reports on thousands of online retailers, go to www.bbb.org.