Just How Safe Is Internet Shopping?

It seems as if everyone is selling things on the internet these days, and those who aren't selling, are buying.  From online auction sites to ordering pizza, you can do it all on-line.  But how safe is it to give out your credit card details on the Internet, and what rights do you have as a consumer?

There are a lot of horror stories about buying things on the Internet, but many of them are apocryphal.  If you think about it sensibly, there's really little difference in typing in your credit card number on a secure website than there is to handing it over to a waiter in a restaurant or using it on the telephone to order from a catalogue - in all cases, you are placing trust in the seller that they will not misuse the information you give them.

Much like everything else involving your finances, shopping on the Internet is safe provided that you take some basic precautions and provided that you know your rights in the event of the worst happening.

Basic Security Hints

• Make sure that before you purchase anything, you know the seller's postal address and contact details.  If they are not open about this, they are probably untrustworthy.
• Ask around - if you know someone else has used a website to buy goods, or a site is well-known and has a good reputation for keeping account details secure, you csan feel safer about shopping with them.
• Always make sure you understand what the delivery charges and taxes may be on goods you are ordering.  Something may look very cheap on a foreign webiste, but when you add in all the extras it can work out more expensive than buying it in the UK. Make sure that you know the total before you proceed with entering any card details.
• Always keep a copy of what you have ordered plus the confirmation message from the supplier in the form of an email or a print-out of the web page.
• When it comes to typing in your card details, make sure that you are on a secure section of the site.  You can tell if you are because an image of a closed padlock will appear at the bottom of your browser.  This indicates that the seller has installed software to try and prevent hackers from getting into the site to get your credit card number.  If you are not on a secure website, think twice.
• Never, under any circumstances, send your credit card details to anyone in an email.  Even if you recieve email asking you to do this that appears to be from a seller or organisation that you trust, be assured that NO REPUTABLE COMPANY will ever ask you to send this information in email - Internet fraudsters often impersonate other email addresses.  Do not respond, and report the fake email to the company it is imitating.
• If you create a user name and password during the process of buying goods, make sure that you keep these safe and do not pass them on to friends and family.  Often, these user names and passwords are stored alongside your credit details to make purchasing faster when you return.  If you give out your log-on details, others may be able to spend YOUR money!
• Never be afraid to listen to your instincts.  If you don't feel comfortable about a site that you have visited, do not buy from them.  There is no obligation to buy on the Internet any more than there is in a local store.

Your Rights

• If you are buying from a company in the European Union (EU), you have most of the same rights as a consumer that you have in the UK.  The USA and many other countries have high standards of consumer protection, but you should always read the small print.
• Under EU law the seller has thirty days to deliver goods to you unless otherwise agreed, and you have seven days to change your mind and return the goods after delivery.
• You have the right to object to the use of your email or personal details for marketing.  You should contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if you recieve unsolicited email.
• High street rights apply - goods must be of a satisfactory quality.
• If using online auction sites or buying from individual sellers, you may find it difficult to recoup your money if they fail to deliver the goods you have paid for, so you should always be extremely careful in these situations, just as you would when buying from newspaper classified ads.
• In the EU, VAT is dealt with by the seller and you should not be charged duty on anything except alcohol and cigarettes.
• In the rest of the world, goods may be liable to local taxes or customs duties, and rates may vary.

You can find further information on safe Internet shopping at http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/before_you_buy/online-shopping/safe-shopping.  If things should go wrong, your local Citizens Advice Bureau or the Community Legal Service can help.