Online Shopping Security Is As Easy As 1, 2, 3 - Part II

In this section you will learn the importance of Passwords and how to create them.

1. Internet and Online Shopping

Now, the crux of the matter in security. There are still many computer users who are afraid to shop online and are afraid to give their credit card numbers online. Well, I have some good news for you.

First of all, if you plan on doing a lot of shopping online, but don't want to over-extend yourself - get a debit card from your bank. Ask them for one. That way you will only buy what you have money in the bank to cover. Once you get used to shopping online, it is very easy to over-extend yourself if you have a credit card with a large credit line. Almost all online stores now accept debit cards and it really is the best way to shop.

Make sure the debit card you get is a "major" card like Visa or MasterCard. When you shop, pick out the major or national chain stores to shop in. They are all safe to deal with. Once you get used to the idea, you will find that shopping online with a credit card is much safer than shopping in a store in person. When you put your credit card number in an online store, for instance like Sears, it is mmediately encrypted AND IT DOES NOT GO TO SEARS AT ALL. It goes directly (encrypted) into Visa or MasterCard who in turn checks it's validity and then let's Sears know that it is valid. It all takes only a few seconds before anyone has a chance to see it. (This is why I said DO NOT LET THE STORES STORE YOUR CREDIT CARDS!) Now, the only way a hacker can get your card is by hacking into Visa or MasterCard and, in that case, this would include the card you use at in-store shopping anyway, as well as online shopping. I think that would take some doing. Even if a hacker could do it, with the millions upon millions of cards they have, the odds of yours being chosen would be like trying to win the lottery, pretty slim.

Now compare online shopping to shopping at the store in person. The sales clerk not only sees your card, but has a copy of the number in the sales receipt which is stored there by her cash register for any clerk to see until the receipts are sent to the office. And then, how many people in the office see your receipt with your credit card number on it? Several handlers probably, the computer operator who posts your sales transaction, the accountant who handles the books, etc. Now what seems safer to you?

2. Now The Last Piece of Information To Complete Your Security-Safe Passwords

The tendency is to find a really neat password and use it for everything, mainly because it's easier to remember. No. No. No. If someone cracks your password, they can get into everything. You need to have unique passwords, especially if you bank online, have a stock plan or retirement plans online or some program that is really sensitive. I have a couple of doozies for my bank account and my PayPal account. I can never remember them and look them up each time I use them. It must be unique and should be at least 8 digits long, preferably 12 with both letters and numbers. No problem with trying to remember them anymore because of the "neat little trick" I showed you using the Rolodex. Keep the Rolodex right by your computer and it just takes a second to flip to the one you're looking for. You can go really wild now with your creativity, because you are no longer going to be using the same password. You're going to make up new ones everytime you join something on the Internet. Nothing will protect you more than this. This is the way to create passwords.

Right now, on my desk, is a gas bill, 3 cookies and a calendar. Okay, how about gas3calendar. There's 12 letters. Lets make it more secure. My gas bill is $20.93. Not usually that low. How about 293gas3calen. Now there's a 12 digit password that would be hard to crack. There is nothing in there that relates to you, your dog, your birthdate (I don't think), your house number, your zip code. Now that's a perfect password. You could even go further and add 4 numbers to the end of it and make it a 16 digit password. Most passwords are case sensitive and you could capitalize a letter, for instance you could make that last one 293gAs3caLen. Let me give you one more example. On my rug, I have a paisley pattern and I would guess it repeats itself about 100 plus times. Each pattern has 5 loops on it. How about 100plus5paisley. That has 15 letters in it. Or 100plUs5paIsleY. Another very difficult one for someone to crack. On my kitchen counter I have 3 eggs sitting waiting to be scrambled and a picture of my daughter with her 2 children. She's got a bright pink blouse on. You could make several passwords from that. egGs33pinK242524. 3 eggs, 3 children, (33) pink blouse and their ages all "scrambled" up. I don't know about you, but I've never heard of pink eggs before. I doubt too many other people have either, except maybe Dr. Seuss. Be very careful when you print the password into your Rolodex between the small letters and the capital letters. I think you've got the idea.

Now, you can go out and shop online with all the confidence in the world. Remember to stick to brand name stores and what better place than at the Brand Name Shopping Mall where you can find Macy's, Sears, Montgomery Ward's, Targets, Wal-Mart's, etc.-almost 60 stores all in one place. You can do comparison shopping, discount shopping with Wal-Mart's and Overstock and take advantage of all the sales. A lot of the stores have free shipping and many of them have on-line sales and buys that you can't get in person in the actual stores. Take advantage of them at the Brand Name Shopping Mall.com.