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March
2003 Consumer Advisories
Do's
and Don'ts for Online Shopping
How
risky is online shopping? Is it safe to give your credit card
number online? For more and more people, online shopping
presents a strong mixture of pros and cons -- convenience and
choice, on the one hand, but also risk or uncertainty.
| Follow
these tips for safe shopping in "cyberspace": |
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Shop
with reputable companies, and get key details from online
vendors:
Shop with reputable vendors. Avoid "E-tailers" that don't list an address or toll-free phone number in case you
have a problem. Get all details on shipping and handling fees, refund and return policies, warranty terms, and
complaint procedures. Read the vendor's privacy policy -- you may wish to opt out and tell them not to trade or
sell your information.
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Shop
only at secure sites, and protect your private information:
Don't give credit card or personal information unless the page is "secure" -- which means the page uses
"encryption" to protect your information. How do you tell? Secure pages begin with "https" instead of "http."
You also will see an icon of a closed padlock or unbroken key. Don't put credit card or personal information in
e-mails -- enter it only on secure web pages. If they ask for a password, don't use your regular log-on password.
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Pay
by credit card: If you pay by credit card, the federal Fair Credit Billing Act gives you two important protections. If you need to
dispute a problem with the vendor, you generally may withhold payment while the dispute is resolved, and, if
someone uses your credit card without authorization, the law limits your liability to $50. (Check your credit card
bill every month.) Be suspicious if a vendor asks for other personal information, such as your Social Security
number or personal bank account information -- they shouldn't need that information.
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Check
delivery dates, and keep records of your purchase:
Sellers must ship within 30 days (unless they specify an earlier or later date.) If the seller can't ship within the
promised date or 30-day deadline, the seller must notify you and give you a chance to cancel your order and
receive a full refund. Print or save documentation about the seller, the product, and your order, just in case
there's a problem.
For more information - E-mail: consumer@max.state.ia.us.
The mail address is Consumer Protection
Division, Des Moines, Iowa 50319.
The phone is 515-281-5926.
Here
are some sites and links to other good sources of information
about online shopping and related topics:
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