Being a Savvy E-consumer at Our Apartments near The Villages, FL

Nowadays, shopping online is commonplace. With websites like Amazon.com offering everything from books and DVDs to household goods and fitness equipment, people can take care of almost all their shopping needs right from their computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. But, it’s very important to know the proper ways to protect oneself from fraud while shopping online.

Here are four ways to be a savvy e-consumer:

• Only buy online if the website has secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption installed. There are two ways to know if a website has SSL encryption installed: First, the URL for the website will start with https://. Second, an icon of a locked padlock will appear next to the URL on the address bar.

• Use strong passwords. Create a unique password when creating a new account on a website. Be sure to include a variety of numbers, letters (both uppercase and lowercase), and symbols.

• Check for unusual activity. Users should be diligent about looking at their different accounts, such as their checking account and/or credit card account. Look to see if any unusual charges appear, and to make sure the sale of the item purchased went through.

• Use as little personal information as possible. When shopping online, users should strive to give out as little personal information as possible. Most stores do not need to know one’s social security number, date of birth, or credit card number.

Online shopping can be a wonderful experience. It allows users to locate items online that may be impossible to find in their local stores. Anyone interested in shopping online should take note of the above tips to ensure they are doing their part to remain vigilant against online scams.

If you are looking for apartments near The Villages, Florida, then look no further than PepperTree Apartment Homes. Our apartments come in professionally designed color schemes, and feature nine-foot ceilings with crown molding, modern appliances, and full-sized washer and dryer hook-ups. Contact us today, or stop by our leasing office to learn more.