Ignore Product Emails
Anyone with an email address is aware that spam is very much prevalent especially when it comes to shopping times such as holidays. Ignore any unsolicited email that you may receive because many of these will lead you to websites that may look real but can in fact be clever fake websites specifically setup to steal your private information. Even if an email seems like it is real, you should never click on a link sent to you in an email. If you feel that the email is real, physically type in the link and go from there.
Bait and Switch
A bait and switch is a scam that has been around for decades in offline stores and it works by a store promising to sell an item such as a radio for $50 and when you go to buy the item, you will find they either claim to be out of stock and instead lead you to a more expensive item or the product that they are selling is a cheaper version. With online stores this is a real concern because unlike an offline store in which you can look at the product immediately, with online stores you don't know what you will get until the item is delivered.
Use a Credit Card
In the case of a bait and switch or other problem that may occur with online shopping, you should always try to make a purchase with a credit card. Your bank will usually help take care of any problems or scams and you can cancel a payment and have other proof that you are being cheated or intentionally ripped off.
Check for Security Authentication
Most of the larger online retailers will have had audits done to check the integrity of their site. Companies such as ScanAlert run security checks on a site to determine if it is safe from hacker attacks. If a site is showing a ScanAlert logo you can be certain it is secure against any potential threats.
Pay Attention to Shipping Prices
If a deal seems too good to be true you could be right. There are many scams running online at auctions or stores and one of them involves the shipping price of an item. To make money a store will list a product cheaply and then when you add it to your shopping card and go to checkout, you are charged a ridiculously high shipping price.
