Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular. And why not? You can relax at home, order what you need - no traffic, lines, noise, canned music, or gum on the escalator steps. And you can shop any time you want to.

Online shopping saves us time, time we've already found ways to spend. We're comfortable with the idea of giving our trust to online merchants. We should be. Online shopping has proven safe and convenient.

But as online shopping increases, so do online security risks. By using the same kind of common sense you use when shopping in a brick-and-mortar store, you can shop safely. Here are some tips to help make your online shopping more secure.

Shop Safely in Virtual Stores

Learn to spot the disreputable stores, and use the same common sense you would in a physical store. If you suspect the store's reputation - if the site isn't certified, the privacy statement unclear, or they ask too many questions - don't complete the purchase.

Before submitting credit card information or other confidential information over the Internet through a connection that appears secure, confirm the authenticity of the URL.

Be careful with online auctions. Before bidding, learn the rules, validation procedures, and payment methods for the auction site. Watch out for sellers offering too-go-to-be-true items, and be especially careful if you want to buy a unique or rare commodity in an online auction. Do everything you can to assure its authenticity and to confirm the legitimacy of the seller before bidding on that sort of item.
Read the fine print. Read the terms and conditions in the contract, and print or save them. Pay particular attention to the policy on returns and restocking fees when returns are made. Look for quality assurance certificates or seals, or in the case of second-party vending partnership sites such as CNET, look for the site's merchant-approval icon. Verify the merchant has a fair and clear complaints handling process.
Make sure you're buying from a business you can count on to deliver what you ordered. Pay attention to the advised delivery date. When purchasing from online auction sites, a delivery date further than 20 days after your payment involves more risk.

Keep Your Personal Information Private

What is the biggest concern about shopping online? Someone stealing our identity: A con artist or hacker stealing credit card information, running up bills, and destroying our credit ratings. But think about it, we face those same risks when shopping at the mall. By employing some caution and common sense, you can keep your computer safe and secure from worms, viruses and hackers looking for unsecured computers.

Secure your computer with a good personal firewall, antivirus solution, and antispam program. These tools reduce your exposure to spam-based phishing scams and protect against the viruses and other blended threats phishers have begun to use. Get a good email tool that blocks spam and lets you screen out junk mail.
Make sure your Internet security solution protects your personal information from being sent to Web sites without your permission, controls Internet cookies, and blocks banner ads.
Disable scripting and active content unless you really need it. Scripts - especially ActiveX controls - are common tools for installing spyware without your knowledge or consent. You can always turn on scripting should you need it for a trusted site.
Keep your Internet browser up to date. Because browser security holes are a common pathway for spyware and adware downloads, it's important to apply any and all security patches when they become available for your browser. To learn more, check out Club Symantec's Identity article and tips. (Link to Identity article and tips).
Learn to spot phishing scams. Using fake emails and Web sites to pose as legitimate organizations, phishers trick people into divulging passwords, credit card numbers, and other sensitive information. To learn more, check out Club Symantec's phishing article and tips.

Shop safely. Limit your exposure to risk by using common sense, staying alert, and installing the best tools available. By taking these precautions, you can keep your information safe against security threats, so you can continue to enjoy the freedom and choice of shopping online. Be sure to visit Club Symantec and Symantec Security Response regularly, to get the latest information and to make sure all your security components are up to date.