Safe Online Shopping

Online shopping is wonderfully convenient, but it's also a favorite playground for scammers who build fake stores that look almost identical to real ones. Before you type in a card number, take a moment to look at the website's address at the top of the browser. It should start with "https" (the "s" stands for secure) and usually shows a small padlock icon next to it. Check the spelling carefully too, because scammers register lookalike addresses like "amaz0n.com" with a zero instead of an "o," or "walmart-deals.com" hoping you won't notice. If a Facebook ad takes you to a store you've never heard of selling name-brand goods for ninety percent off, that's almost certainly a fake storefront.

When it comes time to pay, use a credit card rather than a debit card whenever you can. Credit cards have much stronger fraud protections by law, and if something goes wrong, you're disputing the credit card company's money, not money already missing from your checking account. Services like PayPal and Apple Pay add another layer because the merchant never sees your actual card number. Be cautious of any checkout page that asks for information that has nothing to do with your purchase, like your Social Security number, your mother's maiden name, or your date of birth. A shoe store does not need those. And if you get an email saying there's a "problem with your order" from a store you didn't buy from, don't click the link, just delete it.