The Ins and Outs of shoppingOnline for music and goods.

Online shopping:◦Allows customers to easily search for specific merchandise

◦Configure products◦See actual prices◦Build an order over several days◦Fun, easy, practical, economical

Shopper connects to an online store

Browses the electronic catalogSelects merchandisePays for it

Access to incredible array of merchandise from around the world.

Online equivalent to a yard/rummage sale, and auctions.

Can be risky Example: Ebay, Amazon Auction, uBid, eBid,

Bidz, and Overstock.com

ScamsPhishingCheck Overpay

They lure loosing bidders off auction site in auction site in an attempt to get them to wire funds. Scammer sends message that claims to be from the auction site telling the buyer to wire the payment.◦Looks real, but its fake.

Internet fraudsters who send spam or pop-up messages lure personal info from unsuspecting victims◦Credit card #, Social Security #,

passwords… Message may ask to “update,” “validate,”

or “confirm” your account information. They send you to a site that looks

legitimate.

How it works:◦ According to FTC officials, the scams work like this:

Someone responds to your posting or ad, and offers to use a cashier’s check, personal check or corporate check to pay for the item you’re selling. At the last minute, the so-called buyer (or the buyer’s “agent”) comes up with a reason for writing the check for more than the purchase price, and asks you to wire back the difference after you deposit the check. You deposit the check and wire the funds back to the “buyers.” Later, the check bounces, leaving you liable for the entire amount.

Be Familiar with website Credit card and online payment services are

safest Use debit cards, personal/cashier checks Money orders, escrow services work too. Report to Federal Trade Commission if you

suspect an online auction transaction is fraudulent.

Don’t reply to messages Use anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall updates regularly

Don’t email personal or financial info Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails.

Federal Trade Commission For the Consumer. 30, October 2007. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/onlineshopping/index.html.

Auction Bytes. 1, May 2003. 30, October 2007. http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y03/m05/i01/s03.

By: Brittney PolcynJacob MarleyJulius Purnell