How To Shop Safely Online

Shopping online is really fun, and we all know that we can save a lot of money if we plan our shopping a bit, buy stuff from ebay and so on. At the same time, I guess most of us are a bit worried – there´s a new story in the newspaper every day about someone who got their identity stolen or  got thier bank account emptied. But, it is absolutely possible to stay safe when shopping online! Here´s how!

• First off – use a secure and up to date web browser! I think forefox is great and I recommend you to use it as well. Firefox is very fast and secure and has filters that stops you from visiting sites that have viruses and other bad stuff on them. Whatever browser you´d like to use (Explorer is OK too), please make sure it is always updated to the latest version. Very important!
• Use a good anti virus program. And make sure to keep it updated every single day! A good free on is AVG.
• Make sure the website has an encrypted payment page! Encryption is something that scrambles the data as it travels from your computer to the website. So, scammers can´t  see your credit card data! At the page where you put in your credit card data, make sure the adress bar in the browser says https:// instead of the usual http://. If the extra “s” is there, they have encryption installed! Also, they should have a small closed padlock in the address bar, or on the lower right corner of the window. All websites ninarojas.com link to have encrypted order pages.
• Do not use the same password everywhere. I´ve been doing that too, I must admit. But, if you use it at some crooks website, he can use it to log into your other backends too – like the bank, your email or the safe webstore. Somewhere he can find your credit card data! Use different passwords and make them hard to guess. Check this page out for ideas on how to come up with good and easy to remember passwords.
• Remove your CVC/CVV code from your card. The small three letter code can be scraped away from the back of your card. If you lose the card and a scammer finds it, he cannot shop at 99% of all sites thanks to the fact that you removed the CVC/CVV. It is needed in almost all modern payment platforms. The card number alone is worthless for the crooks these days!
• Check your credit card and bank statement every week. Sometimes the criminals are clever (well, at a certain level anyway) and use your card data to steal just a little every now and then. That way, they think they can get away with ordering drugs or whatever for themselves. Check your bank statement and see what is bought. If you find a strange looking billing descriptor name – google it and call the customer support! Things like this are often something you forgot you´ve bought, so calm down a bit before you call.
• Buy from reputable stores! I don´t have to explain this one. Buy from reliable websites that keeps your data protected and who delivers what you have bought. The sites I recommend are all serious.

That´s it! You should follow these simple rules to keep your online shopping experience positive. It is not hard at all! Good luck to you all and make sure to contact meif you run into any trouble out there! I´m glad to point you in the right direction.