When shopping online we must do our due diligence about who we choose to shop with. Although most sites are legitimate, it is always good to check and make sure they are up to snuff with security, etc. So how can you tell if you are shopping on a secure site or not? 

SSL Certificate: 

Means everything that is transferring back and forth between the browser and server is encrypted. You can check to see the SSL certificate by locating the padlock at the bottom of the screen. In the Chrome browser, it is located in the address bar.

You should click on the padlock and it will display information. Compare this information with that in the address bar. Does it match? If it doesn’t, do not shop from that site.  

When you are viewing the padlock information (SSL certificate), you need to see if it is a Certificate Authority you trust. This is often referred to as the CA. Some popular CA’s are Geotrust, VeriSign, Thawte and Entrust. 

http:// vs. https://

http:// means you are on a site that is not secure for taking personal information. When you are shopping on the site, as in browsing products, it is perfectly fine to be on a site that begins with http:// as most do. 

When you put something in your cart and the process begins to ask for personal information that is when you need to look for the https://. If a site does not link to https:// when you are prompted to enter your personal information, do not shop on that site. 

Keeping your information private is very important and in the wrong hands it can put a strain on your life and finances. Even after you have checked the specifics on the site, if you don’t feel comfortable, do not buy from there. It is better safe than sorry. 

Below I have used a lingerie site to verify what to look for.