Are You Doing Your Christmas Shopping Online?

Are You Doing Your Christmas Shopping Online?

Here's what you need to know:
With the soaring Australian dollar currently on parity with the U.S. dollar, it's no wonder people are flocking to online U.S. shops to do their Christmas present shopping. There are certainly some great online bargains to be had; however shoppers need to remember to take a few precautions to ensure they are shopping safely and don't end up with any nasty surprises.

According to the APCA (the Australian body that collects this data) Card Not Present transactions such as online shopping, had increased to 88.6 million last year from 72.7 million the previous year.

Mason Hooper, Security Specialist and Expert on Fraud at RSA Security, advises that consumers should be taking extra care when shopping online to protect their personal data.
"Online shopping fraud attempts have been increasing, but as long as you deal with reputable companies and are watching out for the warning signs of fraud, online transactions can be as safe as conducting offline transactions day to day."
"Increased security options we are seeing widely adopted such as Verified by Visa are great, as they can provide additional security while making purchases online so you can feel even more protected".

RSA's top tips for staying safe when shopping online this Christmas:
Tune up your defenses: Malware infects computers through unpatched web browsers and outdated security software. Turn on automatic updates so you never have to think about this again.
Make sure the site is legitimate: Be sure sellers have a phone number and physical address so they're reachable in case there's a problem. Before entering payment information, look for signs the site is secure such as a "closed padlock" on your Web browser's address bar or a URL that begins with "shttp" or "https." The best way to ensure a site is real is by typing the URL yourself into the address bar. Also, often real retailers have little tags in the address bar that show you've reached the correct site.
Take advantage of security features: When creating a password, ensure its complex - it adds another security layer. If your bank or credit card company offers an added level of security (i.e. Verified by Visa), take them up on it.
Use safe payment options: Credit cards are generally the safest. Never send cash or use a money-wiring service.
Keep a paper trail: Print and save records of your transactions, including the price, description of the product, terms of the sale