The Financial Fitness office at DePaul share tips for being safe with your money during holiday shopping.

It's holiday season again and many of you may opt to do your gift shopping online in order to find the best deals possible. Looking for the lowest price online is definitely smart, but even this financially savvy tactic comes with its own risks. Shopping online potentially puts you at risk for identity theft or at risk for purchasing counterfeit or nonexistent goods. Here are some basic safety tips to use when shopping online:

·         Use reputable companies you know. But if you are shopping with an unknown company, check them out. Look for a telephone number and then call to speak with a customer service representative. If they don't list phone numbers and only have an email address that is a red flag.

·         Never make purchases on shared computers (i.e. computers available to multiple strangers at a computer center).

·         Credit cards are the safest method for online purchases - never use your debit card.

·         When you go to check out, the "http" in the URL should change to "https" and a closed padlock or key should appear on the page. This lets you know that your personal information will be encrypted or scrambled.

·         Another safe option is to make payments through a third-party service such as PayPal. PayPal's Buyer Protection covers qualifying eBay purchases for up to $1,000.

·         Don't send out credit card information via e-mail or instant messaging. Stick to using a site's secure transaction page. Be sure to print and save all your receipts and email confirmations.