6th day of Christmas tip

On the Sixth Day of Christmas Crime Prevention the RCMP said to me, "When purchasing gifts on line make sure you protect your identity."

- Shop only from your home computer - it’s much safer than shopping at a terminal.
- Use different user ID and passwords for different accounts
- Go directly to a store’s website by manually typing its address into your web browser. Don’t click on links in an e-mail message even if you know who sent it.
- Verify secure connections. When shopping on-line, do not enter any financial information if you see a broken-key or open padlock symbol on your Internet browser. This means the transaction is not secure and could be intercepted by a third party. When the key is complete or the padlock is locked, your browser is indicating a secure transaction.
- Consider using a company acting as escrow (reliable third party), a credit card with a low credit limit or a single use payment card.
- Unlike secure order forms on a web site, e-mail messages are not private. Do not send confidential personal or financial information by e-mail.
- Avoid spam (unsolicited marketing e-mail) by being careful about disclosing your e-mail address both on and off-line.
- Monitor your bank and credit card and statements on-line. Electronic statements allow you to review your purchases and payments as they happen rather than waiting until the end of the month to review your paper statement.
- Immediately report any discrepancies to your bank or to the company that issued the credit card.