Wednesday, January 24, 2007

What not to disclose while shopping online?

By and large, online shopping is reckoned as a secure way of shopping. People all over the world believe that online shopping has scores of advantages over traditional brick-and -mortar-store shopping. An incessant increase in the number of online shoppers proves this. However, despite its utility and popularity, online shopping can be hazardous at times. Sometimes your private details are misused by certain fallacious online merchants or other dubious parties.

Thus, the bottom line is that while shopping online, you should be on the ball, and not share any of your personal information that you deem unnecessary. You must realize that you are entitled to disclose or not disclose any information while shopping online. It is true that you need to disclose some of your personal details to facilitate online transactions. This information may include your full name, complete address, credit card number, credit card validity, and email address.

However, there is no need to disclose your date of birth, family background, particulars of your spouse, parents, or children, business or occupational details, office address, professional history, medical information, income tax details, information with regard to your wealth and property, bank account details, PIN, sign-up password, email passwords, computer configuration, IP address, computer operating systems you use, or any other personal information that you feel is not required for carrying out the online shopping processes.

If an online merchant asks for any redundant information, you should move onto some other online store. Different dubious online merchants have different objectives behind seeking your personal information. Some send spammed mails to your email account, while others try computer hacking. Some are even more dangerous, as they make an all-out effort to rob you of your own money.

So, beware of all such wicked, mendacious online merchants. If you don’t keep close tabs on your online merchant, you might have to pay the price.

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