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Anchor Intro: Online shopping has become a staple for many Americans, and that's especially true when the holidays roll around. But with the extra convenience can come extra risk. Bankrate.com has some tips to keep your online shopping safe and secure.
Voice-over 1: The local mall isn't open 24
hours a day. It doesn't allow you to compare prices from all over
the world, and it certainly doesn't save gas and hassle by coming
to you.
Voice-over 2: And that's the appeal of online
shopping. But there's a price to pay for all that added convenience:
risk. You're buying up front, and you're making yourself vulnerable
to identity theft. So the key is to keep it safe.
Voice-over 3: One way to do that is to use
names you know. While a lower price somewhere else may be tempting,
that bargain may be for counterfeit or non-existent goods.
Voice-over 4: If you're thinking about an unknown
site, check them out. Don't ever send money to a site that doesn't
list a physical address or have a phone number for customer service.
And call the number to make sure.
Voice-over 5: Look for safety seals: BBB, BuySafe,
Verisign, Comodo and other companies offer varying degrees of safety.
Look for their logos… read about the specific protection they offer.
But then make sure the seal is real by verifying it with the sponsoring
company.
Voice-over 6: Don't ever use a debit card online.
Credit cards give you greater leverage if there's a problem and
lower liability if you get ripped off.
Voice-over 7: And while you should always look
for the https, that just means your information is encrypted. It's
no guarantee the merchant is real.
Stand-up: One last tip: Get out of the house
and shop some at locally owned stores. Online stores don't provide
local jobs, pay local taxes or otherwise support your community:
local stores do. For Bankrate.com, I'm Kristin Arnold.
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