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There are two things to remember when using credit cards on the Net: First, make sure that the site that you're dealing with is using a secure server. That means the computer hosting the online form will encrypt the data so that only it can read the submitted information. While no online system is completely impenetrable, using a secure server is no more risky than, say, giving your credit card to a waiter in a restaurant. Secondly, and here's the big one, make sure that you know exactly who you're doing business with. Just because a business has a Web site, doesn't mean it's a reputable establishment. While most online vendors are honest entrepreneurs, you'll still need to use a little extra effort to gauge a site's final trustworthiness. Does the vendor have real-world stores
with permanent locations? Does the vendor have a long history of trouble-free business? How did you hear about the site? If it was through an unsolicited email message, you'll want to exercise due caution. Random mailings, or "spam" as it's affectionately know, is the online equivalent of someone showing up on your doorstep unannounced and uninvited. These are the kinds of issues you'll need to settle before you take your credit card out of the wallet and onto the Web.
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