Tips for safe Christmas online shopping

Online shopping is supposed to help take the pain out of buying Christmas gifts. But that may not always be the case if shoppers fall foul of online fraudsters. IT awareness organisation BeeSecure offers tips on safe online shopping this festive season.

To shop in safety and with confidence, BeeSecure recommends the asking the following:

• What are others saying about this vendor? First, it's always good to shop around for the best price but, be careful, if it looks too good to be true, it usually is. Do some research on the vendor - what have other customers said about them?

• How reliable is this vendor? Ask yourself - are the conditions of sale clear? What protection do you have under the law if something goes wrong? Can the vendor be identified?

• Have you read the terms and conditions before purchasing? Don't speed read. Take your time and perhaps print out a copy to keep for your records.

• Are you using a secure method of payment? When using your credit card, make sure the data transmission is encrypted. Electronic payment systems like PayPal also provide additional safety for online shoppers. Where possible, pay upon receipt of an invoice. 

Find out more about BeeSecure by visiting www.bee-secure.lu