Seven Easy Ways to Have a Safe Online Transaction

Posted on March 18th, 2010
A blog post by DN (6 Comments)

1. Choose a Company with SSL EV
A couple of years ago, Microsoft introduced the SSL EV (SSL Extended Validation). Unlike older SSL certificate, which any webmaster can easily get, it’s very difficult to earn an SSL EV certificate. A website that wants an SSL EV must go through a rigorous acceptance process which may include a validation of their physical address, audit of their financial/tax information, and other verification to make sure that the website is completely honest and competent. Individuals can’t get a SSL EV Certificate, while companies are needed to perform adequately in their industry for years before qualifying for one.
You should look for a green bar as a sign for SSL EV in
• Internet Explorer 8 or higher (Win)
• FireFox 3.6 or higher (Mac or Win)
• Safari 4 or higher (Mac or Win)

2. Look for Domain Change
You should watch out for this one. Some inexperienced (or bad) web developers use this method. It’s an easy to spot, though. When you shop online, watch the domain name on the address bar and make sure that you are using the same site during the purchasing process. Let’s say you’re shopping at Beststore.com – if it changes to Goodstore.com or something as soon as you click “check out”, that’s a big problem! Occasionally, you are transported to a different web site during the actual payment process. This is a risky practice and must be avoided at any cost!

3. Check if it has an open domain registration
Some companies want to make its domain registration information private. If you’re doing business with an online store that hide its registration information, you should ask yourself – why does the company won’t allow you to see their address or phone number? It may be worth a red flag.
Besides, by checking the information, you will know how long it has been registered. When a domain name information is private and newly registered, that could be a significant warning sign – perhaps it goes around to scam people, after gathering a lot of cash it will abandon the domain, and opens another one next week.

4. Check independent rating surveys
Many online stores use independent survey services to rate their business process. Many survey services allow buyers to rate an online store. When reading user reviews, find out if they get the correct products, how quickly the products arrive, whether the price is reasonable, how about the after-sales services and other basic facts. Individual rating is not always reliable, because there is always a buyer that will find a few things to complain about. Always check the overall rating. If an online store is indeed a “rotten apple”, its overall rating will clearly show that. And if the company does not even allow you to view its rating or forbid you from rating your transaction, that is a bad sign, too!

5. Make sure the online store is hacker-free
McAfee is an experienced security company; they offer a security service for online stores, with “McAfee Secure”. This security service costs money for online stores to use, each day, McAfee probes for security issues within an online store. If they discover a problem, they quickly notify the online store owner. If the store fails fix the security problem within one day, they might lose their “Secure” status.
If you see a McAfee Secure logo on an online store, make sure it is genuine and still has the “Secure” status standing.

6. Check the phone number
It may look trivial, but this method can tell you a lot about a business! Open Google and type in the phone number and see the results. If it is a public number it should be mentioned on other web sites. Check any accompanying descriptions, is the number used by other companies or may be even involved in any fraudulent activities. Another online tool is fonefinder.net. It will tell you about the phone number location and the carrier used; just enter the prefix and area code to see its location.

7. Use Reliable Payment Service
If you’re dealing with a company that you have never had a transaction before, you may be better off NOT providing your credit card number to them. If an online store accepts GoogleCheckout or Paypal, these are good alternatives to pay the seller without revealing your important information. GoogleCheckout and Paypal allow you to create an account and verify your information, and send your money to the seller – the merchant will never get your credit card information, except your name, email, phone numbers and shipping address. With GoogleCheckout you can also choose to hide your email to prevent future unsolicited mails.