3. Be cautious of bogus sites.
Verify you are using the correct website address by checking your browser's address bar.
4. Review the company's privacy policy before you shop online
Make sure you understand what personal information is being collected, why, and how it will be used
5. Make sure you are on a secure website
Before you enter your personal information, ensure the website address starts with "https" ("s" means the website is secure)
6. Be wary of phishing emails.
Phishing attempts to obtain personal information by pretending to be a trustworthy source. Do not respond to emails asking you for information on your online purchases.
7. Keep a paper or electronic trail of your online transactions
Maintain records of your online purchases for reference
8. Keep your passwords to yourself
Don't share your personal information with anyone
9. Maintain your security software updates
Make sure your security software is up-to-date before you shop online
10. Use a separate email account for your online shopping
Keep a separate email for online purchases to avoid spam in your regular email account. Spam, also known as junk email or unsolicited bulk email, is an identical message sent to numerous recipients by email.