When you are shopping online you should use a trusted site and protect yourself from credit card fraud.

Never give out your credit card details unless you trust the site that you are purchasing from.

PayPal is one service which aims to facilitate secure transactions for internet purchases, especially on sites like eBay. If you sign up for PayPal, make sure that you understand any terms and conditions.

Make sure you check your credit card accounts, bank accounts and PayPal accounts regularly for any strange transactions, for instance you may have been charged for something you did not purchase – this is an unauthorised transaction.

If you believe unauthorised transactions have occurred on any of your accounts, contact your bank straight away.

For more information about protecting your online shopping rights you can visit the online shopping section of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission website.

Check out this video from ASICs MoneySmart Rookie for some handy hints about online shopping. (Safe link to an external website)

Tip: Emails that seem to be from your bank or Paypal asking for your account details are often scams. If you have any doubt about an email, call your bank.