“When shopping online, always use your credit card,” says Dovell Bonnett, founder and chief executive officer of Access Smart, an online protection service. “Debit cards pull money from your account immediately, and if you’re scammed, it’s your responsibility to resolve the matter.” With credit cards, if somebody rips you off, your credit card company won’t hold you responsible, and your credit rating won’t be damaged.

Shop at Secure Sites

When you’re ready to purchase an item and enter the site’s “checkout” page, glance at the URL. It should contain an “s” after “http,” which indicates that your personal information is in a safe and secure zone. Sometimes a closed padlock icon or key will also appear on the screen; it means that your credit card number will be “encrypted” (scrambled) in the transaction. Note: Some legitimate companies don’t take this security measure, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the site is suspect. “It’s expensive to add this extra step, so some merchants opt not to use it,” explains Bonnett. To be positive your transaction is safe, ask about the company’s privacy policy.

Go With Who You Know

“As a general rule, always shop at major, well-known companies,” says Bonnett. “However, if you find a great deal on a lesser-known site, you can always check its credibility.” Run the site by buySAFE, the only company that puts online merchants through an extensive screening process to verify their identity, sales experience and ability to deliver on their promises. If the merchant passes the test and still doesn’t come through, buySAFE guarantees your refund. “Companies are monitored daily to ensure they’re living up to their end of the bargain,” says Scott Morgan, senior marketing director of buySAFE. Look for the buySAFE seal wherever you do your online shopping.

Try a Virtual Account

Check with your credit card company to see if it offers a “secure online account number” service. Companies (one is Discover) give you a onetime or permanent account number so you never have to type in your card information online. “In the seven years since its inception, the customers who have opted for this service have experienced zero cases of identity theft or credit card fraud,” says Laura Gingess, a spokesperson for Discover Card Financial Services.

Get Protection

Install a firewall like NETGEAR (prices vary, buynetgear.com), which prevents people from seeing where you go online; anti-spyware software like Windows Defender (free, microsoft.com), which prevents people from recording what you type; and a virus-protection program like Virex (prices vary, mcafee.com). Sound hard? Contact Geek Squad (geeksquad.com). A live person can walk you through all the steps.