SAFETY CORNER is dedicated to providing you with tips for being safe in your personal life.

As the holidays quickly approach, online shopping is more and more appealing. There are no crowds, nor is there any difficulty in finding a parking spot. Online retailers offer competitive prices and often including free shipping. Unfortunately the deals come with some additional risks. Here are a few tips to protect you from crimes committed over the Internet.

• If you know what you are purchasing go directly to the retailer's website rather than using a search engine. It is quite simple to set up a fake website which could appear in the search results.
• If you are using a site you have never used before – check them out. Websites like Epinions.com^SM or BizRate.com have customer evaluations which can help you determine a company's legitimacy and service levels.
• If you are going to make a purchase be sure the site you are on is secure. Be sure it has SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption. You will know if the site has SSL, because the URL (Uniform Resource Locator), better known as the website address, will start with https:// (instead of http://) when you begin to checkout and pay for your purchases. Also, make sure there is a tiny closed padlock in the address bar.

Some retailers redirect shoppers to a third–party payment service. Be sure the payment service is secure before you make your payment. Lastly, watch your bank and credit card statements to ensure there is no unauthorized activity. Happy shopping and happy holiday wishes to you and yours!