eBay is a proud supporter of the Department of Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy campaign to promote safe and smart online shopping in preparation for the holiday season. The campaign is part of the Australian Government’s Stay Smart Online initiative. The initiative provides information for Australian Internet users on simple steps they can take to protect their personal and financial information online.

Most shoppers know the warning signs to look for when buying something in a shop—the same applies to shopping online.

When making a payment online:

• Only pay via a secure web page (one that has a valid digital certificate)—look for the https at the beginning of the address bar and a locked padlock in the browser.

• Use a secure payment method such as PayPal, and other secure payment methods.

• Never send your bank or credit card details via email—only via a secure web page.

• Always print and keep a copy of the transaction.

• If you receive a Festive Season e-card, email or link in a social networking site, you need to be careful. Before opening any emails or attachments, be sure you know the source.

• If you receive an email or link that is suspicious, don’t reply, don’t open any attachment and don’t click on any links.

• Check and make sure that your online device has the latest security patch and you have up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware installed and set it to scan regularly.

Happy shopping!