Use your common sense and some simple steps to ensure your online shopping is as safe as possible.
There are many advantages to shopping online—you can shop at any time that is convenient to you, car parking frustrations are eliminated and your purchases are delivered to your door!
But there are some security traps to watch out for. When you shop online, make sure you are smart about the whole purchasing process :

• Know who you are dealing with;
• Know what you are buying;
• Be confident you will get what you have paid for; and
• Ensure that your account and credit card details are being dealt with safely.

Online security, also known as ‘electronic security’ ‘e-security’ or ‘cyber security’ is about having the appropriate security measures in place on your computer and keeping security in mind when using the Internet or email.
Why do I need to be concerned about e-security?
In recent years, sophisticated and malicious online attacks have emerged on the internet. Many of these attacks are now being targeted towards home users and small businesses.
Why do I need to protect my information?
Your business computer may hold important information including your

• Intellectual property
• Customer and pricing policies
• Important financial information such as payroll and banking

What you can do…
Before making the purchase
1. Know who you are dealing with—check that contact details are correct.
2. Read the description of the product carefully—check the size, colour, value and safety of the product
3. Read all the fine print including refund and complaints handling policies
4. Check the currency, postage and handling and other charges—there may be extra charges you aren't
aware of
5. Check the final cost before paying
Making the payment
1. Only pay via a secure web page as provided by us (one that has https at the beginning of the address bar
and a locked padlock at the bottom of the browser screen)
2. Use a secure payment method such as PayPal, BPay, or your credit card. Avoid money transfers and direct
debit, as these can be open to abuse
3. Never send your bank or credit card details via email—only via a secure Web page—see above
4. Always print and keep a copy of the transaction

Use your common sense and trust your instincts…
Most shoppers know the warning signs to look for when buying something in a shop: the same applies to shopping online. Be wary if:
1. The website looks suspicious or unprofessional;
2. The website is offering bargains which look too good to be true; or
3. You are not confident about their use of your information or that you will get what you pay for.

Further information
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has a section on their website about smart online shopping or any other authorities in you country.

• Think about the amount of personal information you share online —do not post information that would make you vulnerable (e.g. your address, information about your schedule or routine). Adjust your privacy settings to control the amount and type of information you want to share, so that people you don't know very well can only see certain parts of your profile.
• Actively manage your public messages noting you are in a public space —delete old messages and only put information on the website you are comfortable with anyone seeing. This includes information in your profile, in blogs and other forums. Once information is online, it is not easy to remove it. Even if you remove the information from a site, saved or cached versions may still exist on other computers.
• Be wary of strangers —the internet makes it easy for people to misrepresent their identities and motives. It is a good idea to limit the people who are allowed to contact you on these sites. If you interact with people you do not know, be cautious about the amount of information you reveal and don't agree to meet them in person.
• Be sceptical —don't believe everything you read online. People may use false or misleading information about various topics, including their own identities. This may be unintentional, with malicious intent or just a joke. Take appropriate precautions and try to verify the accuracy of any information.
• Check the sites privacy policies —some sites may share information such as email addresses or user preferences with businesses. This may lead to an increase in spam. Also, try to locate the site's policy for handling referrals to make sure that you do not unintentionally sign your friends up for spam.

Kids safe online
The internet can be a fun, educational and rewarding experience. Many children access the internet to help with their homework, research, chat and send instant messages to their friends and others they have met online.
When you meet someone in person or talk face-to-face you can be certain that the person you are communicating with is who they say they are. This is more difficult on the internet, particularly for children who tend to be more naïve and trusting, and therefore more open to meeting predatory individuals online. Children are more likely than adults to fall prey to strangers posing as someone who they would like to meet and interact with. Children could also inadvertently access sites that contain inappropriate material, such as pornography, racism or depictions of violence.

Smart online habits

When you’re on the Internet, use the same common sense you would use when going about your personal and business dealings with people and companies in the real world.
There are some sensible habits you can get into that will reduce the possibility that:

• Your personal details will be stolen and used to gain access to your bank accounts;
• Your computer will be infected by a virus or spyware;
• You will lose time and money fixing the damage done by someone exploiting a gap in your Internet security; and
• Your good reputation and legal standing will be affected by someone exploiting a gap in your Internet security.

Good habits need to start somewhere, so you might like to print this page and have it beside your computer. Refer to it regularly when you are online to make sure you are developing each of the habits. This website provides more information on all of these habits. If you want to read about any of them, follow the links provided and read through the information in this website.
What you can do to Stay Smart Online
Whenever you go online

1. Ensure that the anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall protection on your computer are all turned on and are up-to-date
2. Ensure your Internet browser has the best security level set for your purposes
3. Change your passwords at least every month
4. Use a spam-filter to reduce unwanted and potentially harmful emails
5. Never open emails from unknown sources and never opening attachments
6. Watch out for and delete hoax emails or phishing that seem to be from your bank
7. Think before you click
8. Be wary of a website or email if the owner and contact details are unclear or are dubious, or if they make generous offers that seem too good to be true
9. Don't buy from websites that you feel unsure about
10. Only type your credit card details into websites that you are certain about, where the address of the page in which you are entering your details starts with https:// and displays the locked padlock symbol in the bottom right-hand corner

Always close down your connection to the Internet when finished. This is really important if you are connecting to the Internet via broadband.

Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has policy responsibility for spam. The Department's spam webpage contains further information on the Spam Act.

The Australian Government has implemented the Spam Act 2003 as one part of its approach to combating the widespread problem of spam. The Act is available at www.dbcde.gov.au/communications_and_technology/policy_and_legislation/spam

The Spam Act prohibits the sending of unsolicited commercial electronic messages. Complaints about spam can be made to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which is the government agency responsible for enforcing the Spam Act.