STOP!  Don't be a victim of Internet fraud or another online consumer scam!  Before you buy online or transact with another person online... is the person, or Web site, or even the Internet business you are transacting with a trusted one? There are many people and/or Web sites that are fraudulent in nature, yet they appear to seem legitimate. These fraudsters can financially victimize online consumers! Transact safely and with confidence, note the following tips:

• Use Extra Caution for high priced items or unusually low priced items. Take extra steps to verify the seller and the seller's claims.
• Be Cautious Of International Sellers since International crime can be complicated to fight. Some Canadian and U.S. laws do not apply to International sellers. It would be best to keep transactions made, within North America.
• Site Credibility Is Crucial and usually can only be verified only by a non-objective third party like Guardian eCommerce. Make sure if transacting with a Web site that has been approved by a non-objective third party, to confirm it. Make sure the site has posted a site seal logo or seal of approval, and that it is not only authentic, but also functional, (click to verify).
• Obtain And Verify Seller's Details like name, address, and telephone number. Reputable sellers have no problem providing this information to buyers and helping buyers to verify information.
• Request Proof Of Possession especially for large purchases like automobiles, or lot purchases, or mass product batches, etc. For example, obtain a specific photo(s) not common to the pic posted on the site.
• Email Or Call The Seller especially before completing a big purchase. If the phone number listed is not accurate, use added caution, and completely verify the seller's information. Or else, it would be best not to transact with the seller at all.
• Make Credit Card Purchases because faulty credit card purchases can be disputed with credit card companies. In many cases, credit card users are protected. BUT, follow the above precautions before making credit card purchases!
• Never Send Wire Transfers, money orders, or cashiers checks unless the item is already in your possession and verified to be exactly what you agreed to buy.  6 out of every 10 consumer complaints received involve wire fraud. Best rule of thumb: any transaction over $15, use a major credit card instead of wire transfer or money order. Wire fraud of under $15 has minimal financial impact on most online consumers. Also note, with wire fraud, most online consumers ARE NOT protected by the wire transfer companies, (as they may be with most credit card companies).
• Educate Yourself Further using the wealth of information available from Guardian eCommerce, and the Web.
• Never Open Email Atachments, there are so many dangerous phishing scams running wild and many innocent consumers are being taken! Unless you know it is safe to do so WITHOUT any doubt, do NOT open email attachments no matter how safe it looks! Scam artists are now sending Yahoo or Google Tool Bar updates to email addresses, PayPal notices, Ebay notices, downloadable programs, and they look real and totally legit - just waiting for you to open them! Delete these right away! Some Internet fraudsters are sending emails that look like they originate from legit banking companies. Avoid the hassle and delete these emails. Take extra steps to verify ANY such emails received are legit!
• IGNORE Those Non-Stop Email Claims, either you have won a lottery, or you have inherited someone's fortune, or there is a ton of money waiting for you in some foreign bank. Whatever the case might be, delete these scam emails immediately. Do not be fooled. Especially lottery claims: you CANNOT win a lottery of any kind for which you have never entered in the first place! Do NOT engage in these emails as they are ALL scams! (It's the latest in popular email scams.)