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eCommerce Safety
The Problem:
Everyone loves the convenience of shopping in oneīs living room. All you have to do is log onto the Internet, check out that stereo, click buy and... And put in your credit card information. Is that information safe?
The Solution:
Generally, that credit card information is safe. As long as you always follow Method One, that card information is encrypted and unreadable to anyone but you and the merchant.
Method One (SSL encryption):
Secure socket layers, or SSL, were introduced by Netscape a while back to make Internet commerce (eCommerce) safe. It encrypts your credit card information so that only you and the merchant can see it. OSAll doesnīt recomment eCommerce unless the following is present:
Make sure that thereīs a "golden key" in the bottom part of your browser window. If that key is broken, the page is not secure. If it looks like a whole skeleton key, youīre safe.
Make sure thereīs a locked padlock in the bottom part of your browser window. If that padlock isnīt there, or isnīt closed, the page is not secure.
Method Two (phone or not at all):
Many Web sites give you the option of calling in your credit card information if you donīt feel safe giving it online. If this option is there, by all means take advantage of it! If not, just donīt shop at that site, or on the Internet at all.
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