• Shop from Reliable Retailers. It's wise to do business with companies you already know and trust. If the retailer is unfamiliar, look up information on the company with the Better Business Bureau or the Office of the State Attorney General in the state where the seller is located.
  
  
• Use a Credit Card, Not a Debit Card Online. Credit cards limit your liability for unauthorized charges to $50. You're not assured this protection with a debit card.
  
  
• Ask about Single Use Credit Cards. Some credit card companies use a new technology that allows them to issue a single use credit card number for online purchases. With this number, you avoid having to use your real credit card number online, so security isn't jeopardized.
  
  
• Avoid Buying On Public Computers. A hacker or thief can easily put a keylogger on a public computer that allows him or her to know everything you've typed — including your credit card numbers and passwords. Stay away from public access computers when shopping!
  
  
• Don't Save Your Credit Card Numbers Online. Many reputable sites give you the option to save credit card numbers online to make future purchases easy. However, if the company's database is ever successfully hacked, your information could be exposed. It's safer to re-enter your numbers with each transaction.
  
  
• Switch your web browser to Firefox, Safari or anything besides Mircosoft’s Internet Explorer. The popular web browser is often in the cross hairs of computer viruses, spyware and adware.
  
  
• Don’t click on email links. E-mail attachments are another breeding ground for viruses and cyber-worms.
   

For more information about online shopping and e-payments, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/tech/online.shtm.