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Safety and security when shopping online

Just as with shopping in the High Street, there are some important things to consider when shopping online. The most important aspect of shopping online is having confidence in the shop you are purchasing from, this is why SmartClicks endeavour to only feature shops that offer a secure payment process along with contact details including an address and telephone number.

Entering payment information

Any web page that requires you to enter payment information must display a padlock icon within the window frame or address bar of the browser. The padlock symbol indicates that any information you enter on that page will be sent safely. Bear in mind a padlock symbol is not a guarantee that the people running the Web site are credible.

    These don’t count:
  • A padlock icon on the actual Web page itself.
  • A padlock icon to the left hand side of the address bar. This location is used by the owners of the Web site to display a small company logo, initials or other identifying symbol.

Depending on your browser, the padlock icon can be found in the following places:

Internet Explorer 7
The padlock icon can be found at the right hand side of the address bar at the top of the window.

Internet Explorer 5 & 6
Look for the padlock icon in the status bar at the bottom right hand corner of the window.

Firefox 2
The padlock icon is located at the right hand side of the address bar at the top of the window. The address bar will also turn yellow when the browser is displaying a secure page.

Firefox 3
Firefox 3 does not display a padlock symbol, instead it uses a colour coded site identification button to the left of the address bar at the top of the window. The button will be either blue or green for secure pages, and grey for non-secure pages.

Safari
The padlock icon will be displayed in the top right hand corner of the browser window.

http what?

If you look at the address bar in your browser, you will see that the address of this help page begins with http. The http indicates that you are viewing this page over a standard, non-secure connection. This is perfectly normal for general Web browsing.

When entering payment details, such as typing your credit card details at an online store, the page must begin with https. The extra “s” indicates that you are using a secure Web page and your details will be sent safely.

Pay with a credit card

If you are spending over £100 and you pay using a credit card, you may be protected by the Consumer Credit Act. In the event of a problem, i.e defective goods, fraud, or your items don’t turn up, you can claim from either the credit card company or the shop. For this protection to apply, the total transaction value must be over £100. For more information, visit the Consumer Direct Web site.

Email

Never send your credit or debit card details via email. Email is not a secure method of sending information. It’s fine for chatting to friends and family, but should not be used for sending payment details. If you are ever asked to send credit or debit card details or passwords in an email, don’t do it, even if the request looks like it has come from a reputable company.

Contact details

Check to make sure the store has a physical address and phone number. All the stores on SmartClicks will feature contact details such as an address and telephone number. If you need additional reassurance before making a purchase, pick up the phone and speak to someone.

(Bear in mind some services such as online casinos, bingo and gaming Web sites are often based abroad for tax reasons).