And what you're getting into. There are dishonest people in the bricks and mortar world and on the internet. But online, you can't judge an operator's trustworthiness with a gut-affirming look in the eye. It's remarkably simple for online scammers to impersonate a legitimate business, so you need to know who you're dealing with. If you're thinking about shopping on a site with which you're not familiar, do some independent research before you buy.
If it's your first time on an unfamiliar site, call the seller's phone number, so you know you can reach them if you need to. If you can't find a working phone number, take your business elsewhere.
Type the site's name into a search engine: If you find unfavorable reviews posted, you may be better off doing business with a different seller.
Consider using a software toolbar that rates websites and warns you if a site has gotten unfavorable reports from experts and other internet users. Some reputable companies provide free tools that may alert you if a website is a known phishing site or is used to distribute spyware.
